Relentless

It took the sound of wood creaking loudly for Zara to realize she'd drifted off. She was suddenly furious with herself. How could she be so careless? At least she still had the gun in her hand. She moved across the room quick as a flash, crouching low as she peered through the gap in the dusty curtains. There was only one car, and one man got out. She didn't recognize him, not that the dark of night was helping much. It definitely wasn't Bucky, that much she was 100% certain of. Her heart sank a little.

There was more creaking as he slowly walked back down the veranda. Zara's heart skipped a beat as he approached the window she was on the other side of. She crouched low, her back hard up against the wall, saying a silent prayer that she wouldn't be seen. He cupped his hands either side of his eyes to peer in the window, his breath fogging up the glass just inches from the top of her head. She closed her eyes and dared not make a move or a sound, letting out a silent sigh of relief as he backed off and made his way to the front door.

She squinted, trying to make out on the gun if the safety was off or on. She felt it with her thumb, giving up when the reality of the situation set in - she had no idea what she was feeling for. She couldn't remember shooting a gun ever, let alone having a clue what all the little switches were. She peered at the phone, shielding the light of the screen with her hand. No missed calls or messages. 3.14am, 16% battery, and two bars of service.
Surely someone from Shield would have called or left a message, surely an extraction team would be just that - a team. There'd be a quin-jet, lights, soldiers... Bucky. Bucky would be there. She wished she could ask him what to do, she'd never been more nervous in her life.

There was a metal-on-metal sound as a screwdriver or something of the like was used to jimmy the door open. She held the gun up, hands shaking as the door opened. The man tried the light switches and let out a sigh when the lights didn't come on. Zara held her breath, staying hidden in the shadows cast in the corner of the room, the tip of her gun following his every move. He searched the house, room for room, and just as she'd done earlier, and he made his way back into the living area. She hadn't had the time to make a run for it, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was scared stiff and her legs just didn't want to carry her out of there.

One guy... I can take one guy down... If he's a really, really crappy fighter...

Zara clenched her jaw, shaking the negative thoughts from her head as she watched him look around the room, maybe she could hide out, maybe he wouldn't see her.

Too late...

"Zara Jones... We've been looking for you."



***Several hours earlier***
Bucky let out a long breath as he peered into the foggy mirror. A long hot shower was just what he needed, but he still didn't feel as refreshed as he'd like. His eyes looked tired, and as much as he hated to admit it, he just wasn't relaxed without having her nearby. He would always worry about her, he couldn't help it.
Being yanked out of the Shield building without having the chance to call her had been a real kick in the guts, never mind the fact that his whole routine had been thrown off. The whole thing was ridiculous, why the hell was Fury in such a rush that they had to move out to the base right then and there? He hadn't even had the time to pack a bag. It was such bullshit.
Bucky shook his head at the thought of it. Fair enough, they'd been threatened, but if Shield ran away with their tail between their legs every time a threat was made, then their enemies had already won.

He tied his hair back in a top knot and pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a grey v neck t-shirt from the top of the basket he'd been given. He glanced at his phone, he thought of Zara and began dialling her number as he peered out the window. He put the handset to his ear, listening to it ring out and go to voicemail. He hung up awkwardly, not wanting to leave a message. He didn't bother trying her again, he figured she'd call him back when she saw the missed call. He wasn't about to start being one of THOSE boyfriends. She was probably in the shower or having a coffee knowing her, the thought suddenly making him want one.

Bucky found himself strolling around the base, exploring it and taking in his surroundings. He gazed out the window into the night, taking a moment to glance at his phone. It had been over an hour since he had tried to call, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, it made him uncomfortable. He shoved the phone back into the pocket of his leather jacket and turned around to head back to his room when he was interrupted by the phone ringing.

Finally!

He frowned when the caller ID came up as Tony Stark, the two of them had a friendship that could only be described of as 'strained' at the best of times. He couldn't be bothered with the billionaire smart-ass, but it was unusual for him to call.
"Barnes, it's Stark"
"Yeah I saw. What's up?" Bucky answered.
"Just wondering if you've heard from Zeejay?"
Bucky rolled his eyes. It was a piss-take and he didn't find it funny in the slightest.
"You're not funny, Stark" He said, taking the phone from his ear to hang up, when he heard Tony's muffled voice yelling for him not to hang up. Bucky clenched his jaw, if Stark was joking, he'd make him regret it.
"Barnes this is serious. Something's happened, you need to get to a quin-jet now. Zara's gone, and people are dead."

Bucky's heart took off at a million miles per hour, a hundred scenarios rushing through his head as he ran at super soldier speed to the hanger. Not having time to wait for the elevator he burst into the stairwell, jumping the railing and dropping the three stories to the ground, landing crouched on his feet. Still holding the phone in his hand he ran into the hanger, breaking the locked doors open with a big steel shoulder and a whole lot of momentum. The couple of crew members who were present got the fright of their lives, pulling weapons out, not sure what was going on.
"Barnes, stand down!" Came the angry voice of the highest ranking member there, Bucky shooting him a threatening glare as he strode over to him.
"There's been an incident at Shield, I need a jet" He said, reaching out to snatch the gun from the officer's hand at lightning speed. "And a gun"

He pulled the door of the jet open and pulled himself into the cockpit, flicking switches overhead, the engines coming to life as he did.
"You can't do that!" The officer yelled out, waving his hands all over the place.
"Open the hanger door or I'll shoot it out" Is all Bucky said as he pulled the door of the quin-jet shut and buckled his seat-belt. He pointed the jet towards the door and it was opened for him. He initiated the stealth mode and with the flick of a few overhead controls the jet thrusters came to life and he was skyward.

"Barnes, can you hear me?" Came Tony's voice over the loudspeaker in the quin-jet.
"Yeah, what's happened, and where am I headed?"
"Co-ordinates should be coming through now" He said. There was a couple of beeps and the screen in front of Bucky lit up, telling him he needed to turn the jet and head west. He threw the stick forward, heading towards their destination at top speed.
"Got it. What's happened, is she okay!?"
"From what we know, Zara got out. Reeves wasn't so lucky"
"Fuck..." Bucky said, both anger and regret in his voice.
"Hall was involved, he's been locked up, but we haven't had time to question him or review the footage from the other room just yet. We do know Reeves gave Zeejay her phone and her car keys, and told her to run, before she was shot. She's alive for now."
"Who was shot!?"
"Reeves. Pay attention"
"And Zara, has anyone called her?"
"No, I tapped into the phone's vitals, and the battery is too low. While it's on, I can track her, but when it goes flat, she goes off the grid." He said, stress showing in his voice. "We'd need to go down there either way-"
"OKAY, Stark..." He said, cutting him off before he could continue, "Where is this place?"
"Rural Pennsylvania, must be a farm or abandoned house. No internet or phone connection, and no power by the looks of it. Nothing I can tap into... Open the tail ramp, I should be coming up behind you."

Bucky turned the stealth mode off and dropped the ramp, hearing a clunk of metal-on-metal over the roaring wind. He put the ramp back up after hearing the footsteps of the Iron Man suit behind him, and after a few robotic clicks and whirs, Tony was out of it, and sat beside him.
"We should be there in about 25 minutes" He said, buckling himself in as he hit the stealth mode switch, making the jet invisible again. "I just hope we're quicker at tracking her than they are" He said darkly.



***
Zara pointed the gun at her assailant as he stepped into view. He smiled a sleazy, cocky smile, crossing his arms in front of him as he casually leaned himself against the dining table.
"Who are you?" She asked, trying to will her hands not to tremble.
"Me? Oh I'm a lot of things, a courier, a guard... A representative" He said, a hint of a French accent in his voice.
"Of who!?" She demanded angrily, rising to her feet, keeping her gun aggressively pointed at him. He chuckled at her question and gave a shrug.
"That, my dear, is a spoiler... And I would never spoil an ending."
"What the FUCK do you want? Are you here to take me? Are you here to fight me, kill me? Because we may as well get this party started" She said, her finger anxiously hovering over the trigger. The tall dark haired man chuckled again.
"You really are a pretty little thing" He said... "You have the most breathtaking blue eyes I've ever seen. I think I must be in love"

Zara glared at him over the barrel of the gun, the Frenchman breaking into a chuckle, relishing in her discomfort. Men like this were used to getting what they wanted, and the only thing Zara was planning on giving him was a bullet between the eyes.

"My apologies for being forward, but a lovely lady like yourself, you're not about to shoot an unarmed man."
"Don't test me" She threatened. "Why are you here and who do you work for!?"
"What do you want me to say, pussy cat? Do you want me to tell you I work for a division of Hydra? Do you want me to tell you that by this time tomorrow you'll be gutted like a pig on an operating table?"
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"That precious serum flowing through that delicious body of yours... We need it back." He said, his voice going from sleazy to sinister to match that awful smile.
Zara swallowed hard and clenched her jaw, hiding her terror as best she could.
"Well the jokes on you, Frenchie. I've been tested, and I'm clear of it."
"Of course you'd say that, my sweet."
"I'm being serious. I was supposed to have a shot before the serum was given to me, and without it, the chemical was rendered useless and my body metabolized it. Sorry to disappoint you."

The Frenchman laughed again, keeping himself poised as if he was a high class businessman.
"Oh Zara, Zara, Zara. When will you learn? Serums are made of components, some of which stay in your body for a period of time. A period of time which is nearing expiry, which is why you are coming with us tonight."
"That is utterly ridiculous"
"My dear, even something as basic as cocaine or heroin can be found in the follicles of your hair for at least three months. Just imagine what we can find in you if we... Dig a little deeper..."
"I've been tested over and over, and OVER again by the best Shield scientists in the world. I have no super strength or senses." She said with a shrug. "I think you've been sent on a wild goose chase" She said, amused now.
"We have other information..."
"You clearly don't know what you're talking about, or your whole organization is hanging onto false hope" She shrugged, amusement creeping onto her face and a chuckle escaping.

Her assailant screwed up his face, somewhat unappreciative of her light-heartedness and stood up from the table and stepped towards her. During the course of the conversation Zara had been scanning the room, finding as many exit points as she could. 'Survey your surroundings' Bucky's voice had nagged her, 'don't stop scanning for threats or exits, ever.'
"Take another step and I shoot" She threatened, her voice aggressive.
"You're not going to shoot me, baby"

Zara pulled the trigger. *click*

Fuck!

*click, click, click*

Her eyes darted up to the Frenchman, and she braced for him to pounce on her. Instead he exploded into laughter, making her angry again.
"You need to pull the hammer back before you shoot" He said in a condescending tone, pointing at the back of the gun. He pulled his own pistol out, turning it to show her. Her heart began to race.
She pulled the hammer back and pulled the trigger again.

*Click*

"Oh, my dear you have forgotten how to protect yourself... Now do you understand why we came after you, and not your precious Sergeant Barnes or Captain Rogers?"

Zara was getting ready to hurl the gun at him, she'd never been so angry in her life. She COULD protect herself... She frowned, it was just that she'd forgotten HOW to for the moment. She cursed under her breath and shook the thoughts out of her head.

"You can't take Barnes or Rogers, they'd overpower you in a second."
"I suppose you're right, then again, we take one and the rest will come, and we don't want that now, do we?"
"And what do you think will happen if you take me?"
"Barnes is quite taken by you, no? I'm sure my superiors would like to break his heart into a million pieces again, it WAS entertaining to watch him grieve the last time. I wonder how he will handle it a second time..."
Zara cast her eyes around the room again, she was cornered with a pistol that wouldn't shoot, and a cocky 6'3 Frenchman with an attitude. Well, an attitude, a gun and a screwdriver... God only knows what else. She looked back down at her gun, and felt a light bulb go off in her brain.
"Simple, we gut you, leave him your remains to cry over and go underground while we develop our own super soldiers"
"And then they take you out again. Haven't you learned anything from these past few months?"
"We've learned more than I care to let on, my sweet."
"Then why are you telling me this? You're not supposed to give your master plan away, you know"
"I'm afraid I've been stalling you, my dear" He said, cocking a smile as his eyes glanced out the window momentarily.

Zara found the safety on the gun, thumbed it off, pointed it and fired it. She didn't take into account that Bucky would have the most stupidly powerful handgun in the known universe, the recoil pushing her into the wall behind her. She stumbled back to her feet, looking back up at him. She'd missed by a country mile.

Fucking hell!

He lunged at her, hitting the ground hard when she dodged him. She picked her pistol back up and swung around, pulling the trigger and missing him a second time. To her horror he was back on his feet in a split second, a punch connecting with her cheekbone and a knee going up into her stomach making her gasp. He grabbed her aggressively and stood her upright, only for her to grit her teeth, going back in with an aggressive punch combo, sending an uppercut under his chin making him bite his tongue.
He roared with pain, his hand shooting to his face as he stumbled backward. Zara wasted no time running at him with all the power she could muster, tackling him over a wooden dining chair and breaking it.
She dropped a knee into his crotch and hit him hard in the temple with the butt of the pistol she was still holding, disorientating him. She spat a mouthful of blood out and stood up, snapping the broken leg off the wooden chair and taking a moment to get her bearings back together. She'd smack him over the head with it as soon as the room stopped spinning...
Zara gasped, dropping the chair leg when his hand went to his hip and he pulled out a pistol. Zara panicked an pulled hers out, saying a silent prayer that she wouldn't stuff this up. She aimed low enough that the recoil sent the bullet upwards, hitting him in the throat. It was a terrible shot, but it was enough to do the job.

There was a desperate, sickening gurgling sound as he took his final breaths, and then silence. She checked him over after a few seconds, to find he was most definitely dead. She found a phone and a wallet on him, taking both. She took his pistol and checked him over, finding a switchblade on him as well which she tucked into her boot.
She stood up, the blood from the Frenchman pooling around her feet. She felt like she was going to be sick. Zara turned and ran from the room, unlocking the door and leaving the house as quickly as she could. She ran down the veranda, going through a muddy puddle on purpose to splash the blood off her shoes in case she was stopped by police. No doubt her fingerprints were everywhere.

Zara put her foot on the clutch and started the Impala back up again and pulled out of the driveway as fast as she could go. Her heart raced as she flew down the freeway, slowing down when she saw other cars on the road. She mustn't draw attention.

Don't get pulled over...

She drove for a good 40 minutes before she had the courage to pull Frenchie's phone from her pocket, suddenly realizing that she may be being tracked...

Just one call...

She dialed the one number she knew. The one she'd seen plastered onto letterheads, business cards and pretty much every document she'd seen while running errands for Stark and Coulson.
"Hello you've reached Stark Tower-"
"HELLO!?"
"Business hours are from 9-5 Mondays through to Fridays-"
"ARGH FUCK IT!!!!"
"Please leave a message and we'll return your call at our earliest convenience... *beeeeeep*"
"It's Zara. I'm alive, I'm on the road, I'll try back again tomorrow..." She said, hanging up and hurling the phone across the car angrily. She cursed loudly, feeling absolutely helpless.

The car came to a screeching halt as she pulled over, feeling like she was about to have a panic attack. She shook her head, pleading with her body not to do this to her, catching a glance at the Frenchman's phone on the floor. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she undid her seatbelt to pick it up again, opening it and flicking through the texts for anything of interest. There was a girl he'd been sending smutty messages to, and a few messages sent in another language - she could only assume they were in French. She had a quick flick through the contacts, dialling the voicemail number and listening to a couple of messages, the third one piquing her interest.

'Find the girl, and bring her in. Deadline is by Thursday. Either she dies or you do'

Zara frowned, skipping to the next message.
'A reminder that you are on a deadline. Get the girl to us alive by Thursday. Remember what we told you - she is useless to us after then. Thursday night or there will be consequences.'

What the hell!? Was all that shit about an expiration date true? She'd been injected MONTHS ago in the captivity of Hydra, there was no way in hell that whatever they'd injected her with was still in there, and about to expire in the next 72 hours. They'd tested her... If there was anything in there, she would have been put under lock and key.

Oh my god...

Zara felt the color drain out of her face as the bile rose up in her throat. A hand covered her mouth as she held down the vomit that was threatening to rise. If Shield knew, they'd done a damn good job at keeping that one a secret... She wondered if Bucky knew. No, this was ridiculous. Hydra didn't know what they were talking about. It was probably just some stupid false hope they were hanging onto as if they had nothing else. Was she the be-all and end-all of their organization? No, that was ridiculous too. Surely Dr Reeves would have said something if she DID have serum or 'chemical components' in her as Frenchie had said. Unless it was confidential. But then why wouldn't they just TELL her? She would have happily hidden out if that was the case. Did Shield not trust her?
Either way, Hydra were pretty damn convinced it was true, and the fact of the matter was that they were after her - well, until Thursday night apparently.
Zara glanced at the calendar on the phone, it was Tuesday night... Well, technically Wednesday morning even though the sun wasn't up yet. She just had to become invisible for a couple of days. That's all. Hiding was easy enough wasn't it?

What if they don't find me and I become a revenge kill? What if... What if...

She slowed her breathing and grit her teeth, crying wouldn't fix anything. She glanced down at the phone in her hand. If they knew Frenchie was dead, and his phone stolen, it wouldn't be hard to guess who had it, and it would be easy to track.
Zara started the car back up again and put her foot down hard, changing gears aggressively making all 8 cylinders of the engine roar. She pressed the window button, and threw the phone out of the car onto the road, watching it smash into a million pieces in her rear-vision mirror. She was on the move again, she just needed direction now.

Where the fuck am I and where the fuck should I go? Argh, just drive, just keep driving and find somewhere to lay low. You'll need a fresh car tomorrow, and you'll need to call Shield again after 9...

She let out an exasperated breath. Where was she going to go at 4.30 in the morning!?



***
Bucky landed the quin-jet in the paddock beside the house, the first thing he noticed was a set of fresh tyre tracks in the driveway. Someone had left in a big hurry.
Both men got out of the jet, Bucky jogging up the steps onto the wooden veranda only to stop in his tracks on noticing the bloody footprints. Small, round-toed boots that were hers without a doubt. He followed the prints around to the back of the house where they disappeared and were replaced with heavy tyre tracks. Part of him was furious that they'd missed her, while the other part was glad she'd gotten out. He hurried back around to the front of the house, calling out to Tony that she was gone, and to track her phone again. Closer inspection of the bloody footprints revealed that they'd been sitting there long enough to partially dry, so wherever she was, she was long gone.

Bucky suppressed his million feelings - ranging from guilt, to sadness to rage - and approached the front door, noticing it was half open. He pulled his pistol from the back of his pants and held it up, following it in, brow cocked and jaw set. He carefully stepped in, scanning the room with his eyes and saw the body of the Frenchman on the ground. He picked up a bullet shell and examined it, looking up at Tony as he stepped into the house.
"That's my girl" Bucky said, a hint of pride in his voice.
"What?"
"She's got my gun with her" Bucky said, earning a nod from Stark.
"She sure made a mess of him..."
"She struggled" Bucky said, frowning. "Look at the wall, compared to where I found the shell. That's from recoil, she lost her balance which can mean anything from exhaustion, or that she's been hurt" He said, pointing to the blood spat on the floor beside the broken chair.
"Guns like yours aren't designed to be fired by little 115 pound girls" Tony pointed out, Bucky giving him a look to let him know his comments weren't helping.
"Hey, at least she took the guy out" Tony added, holding up his Smartphone, to find the strongest signal he could.
"Three shots for one hit..." Bucky murmured, worry in his voice as he ran his hand over the broken plaster on the wall, closing his eyes as if to relive the fight in his head.

There was a beep from Tony's Smartphone which snapped Bucky back into reality. He looked up at Tony who had a satisfied grin on his face.
"Got her!"