Chapter 15
The room tension in the room was thick, Tony looked at Winnie with a deep expression.
“I didn’t know,” Tony started. “I was a merman?” He asked with disbelief.
Winnie nodded, “We can talk about it after we find Bucky, yes?”
Tony nodded and turned away. Steve, Nat, Sam, and Clint looked at each other with the same ‘what the fuck’ expression.
Wanda cut the silent tension, “Tony what can you tell us about the lab they have Bucky in?”
Tony cleared his throat, still clearly shaken up. “Yes, it’s about 15 miles away on the other side of the island.”
Tony rolled out a blueprint of the facility, it had several access points. He circled the entrances in red pen. “We have to do is create a distraction and get everyone out of the lab they’re keeping Bucky in.”
“I can use magic,” Wanda piped up. “To make a distraction.”
“Good idea,” Winnie said.
“Just come up with one that’ll drive everyone out in the same direction,” Tony added. “We don’t want anyone spotting us trying to get into the lab.”
Wanda nodded, “I can manage.”
“OK, Wanda makes a distraction. Tony, can you lead George and I to where they’re keeping Bucky?” Winnie spoke up trying to make a cohesive plan. Tony nodded.
“I’m coming with you,” Steve said.
“No, Steve, you’re not, I’m not putting your life in danger,” Winnie said sternly.
“We want to help Mrs. Barnes,” Nat said persistently.
“You’ll help Bucky by staying safe and being here when he gets home,” George iterates siding with his wife.
“We can keep watch, make sure nothing suspicious happens,” Steve offers. “We’ll stay in the car, nobody will see us.”
Winnie didn’t look pleased, she was about to say no before George said: “Steve you said your mom was coming over, right?”
Steve nodded.
“It might be smart to have Sarah there in case Bucky needs medical attention, she’s a doctor who already knows Bucky’s secret. There’s no reason the kids couldn’t stay with her,” George concluded trying to appease both Steve and his wife.
“Fine,” Winnie let up.
“We’re leaving as soon as Sarah gets here,” Winnie said, marching to her bedroom to get prepared, George tailing her.
Tony was still quiet, he leaned on the kitchen cabinet deep in thought.
“Tony are you okay?” Sam asked gently.
“Just peachy,” Tony responded sarcastically. Sam rolled his eyes annoyed. “I’m sorry Sam, I just have a lot on my mind right now. I didn’t mean to be a smart ass, I really can’t help it.”
“I get it, man. Just for the next couple hours, we need you to stay focused. You’re the key player in our plan to find Bucky,” Sam reminded him gravely.
“I know,” Tony spoke with a heavy voice.
Steve eyed the boy and spoke up, “I also wanted to thank you, Tony. You didn’t have to help Bucky, and I realize you’re risking a lot to be here right now.”
Tony looked at him with a grateful smile, “I’m sorry Steve, about what I did to you. What I put you and Bucky through. I just had to know more about my mom, but I fuck up everything I touch. It’s hard.”
“Listen, I forgive you. We all make mistakes, I don’t know what it’s like to be you, but I try to be sympathetic,” Steve said with a reassuring look.
“I haven’t earned your forgiveness,” Tony said with self-loathing.
“You don’t have to earn it, I’m giving it to you,” Steve said with a look of finality.
Tony nodded, his face pinched he was trying hard to become emotional. Steve couldn’t blame him, he just found out he was a merman, something his father hates, something his father could exploit. Wanda watched the situation with raised eyebrows, “Damn, you guys are some wise 16-year-olds.”
---
When Sarah got there, they left. They took two cars. George, Winnie, Tony, and Wanda in one. Steve, Sarah, Nat, Sam, and Clint in the other. The car ride was quiet and everyone was focused. Steve rode shotgun, his mom drove. They followed the Barnes’ family car, Tony giving George directions to the lab.
It took 25 minutes to get to the big concrete prison-like structure that was Stark Industries. It was eerie, it was settled in the middle of the dense Hawaiian jungle. Tony led them down a dirt road, the cars hid behind trees and bushes, with a clear view of the complex. It was the perfect lookout point.
Steve had other plans though, he wasn’t about to let Tony Stark help his boyfriend more than him. His plan was to pretend to have to use the bathroom and leave the car. Then run off to catch up with Winnie, George, and Tony. They watched Wanda exit the car first, the next moment disappearing in a cloud of scarlet smoke.
Minutes later, they heard the blaring of sirens. The distraction was working. Wanda had tripped the alarm. Tony led Bucky’s parents through the jungle, trying to avoid the clearing where the complex laid. They worked fast and efficient. Steve had to keep up.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” Steve said reaching to open the passenger side door.
His mom glared, “Can you hold it? I really don’t want you leaving the car Steven.”
Steve shook his head, “it’s an emergency.”
She looked at him sternly, “be fast or so help me,” she grumbled.
Steve didn’t reply he just opened the door and walked through the bushes to hide. When he was sure nobody could see him, he started running. He ran towards the complex, he was trying to figure out which way Winnie and George went.
The sirens became louder the longer he moved through the jungle, he was going the right way. He spotted Winnie, George, and Tony they were about 100 yards in front of him. Tony was ushering them through a side door. Steve started sprinting.
The door was closing, Steve was sure it would lock behind them. So, he had to book it to catch the door before it closed. He ran as fast as he ever thought he could and managed the reach the door in time. He was officially in the lab. His mom was going to fucking kill him.
He slid down the wall inhaler in hand trying to catch his breath when Winnie noticed him.
“Steve!” she whisperer-yelled, George stood behind her with a disapproving look. Tony just looked amused. “What are you doing here?”
Steve took a few deep breaths, “helping,” he whispered back. He knew he was being a stubborn asshole, he was self-aware.
“Get out of here now!” Winnie shot back pointing to the door.
“It’s too late now, he’d be caught as soon as he stepped foot outside,” Tony shrugged.
Winnie was still unbelievably pissed at Steve, George rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “relax,” he said. “We’re almost there, Bucky needs us and Steve.”
Winnie nodded, “fine, let’s get moving then.”
—
Bucky was awakened from his sleep by an alarm, he watched as the scientists all scurried in different directions. They ran out the doors, yelling something about a ‘breach’. Bucky’s brain was too foggy to really put anything together. His tail was healing, it was still gruesome, the long black sutures were holding the two sides together.
The only thing that would fix it would be to shift, but he couldn’t. He was trapped in this tank for god knows how long, he knew deep down it’s only been a couple days or a week at most. He was hungry and in pain, he wanted to go home. He had hope, but it was slowly fading.
Bucky was drifting out of consciousness when he heard it, Bucky hang in there, Wanda was talking to him.
She had to be close for him to hear it, he was being rescued. He was fully awake now, adrenaline pumping with anticipation. He waited hands pressed against the glass eyes peeled.
The door creaked open, four figures quickly snuck into the room. It was too dark to see, but then a woman stepped forward. Not just any women, his mother. He banged on the glass to get their attention. His mother ran toward him, face a depiction of anguish and fear. The three others followed her, Bucky only felt more relief seeing his dad and Steve, then confusion when he saw Tony. He didn’t care though, he was being saved.
His mother pressed her hands to glass, right where Bucky’s were on the other side. Her eyes traveled up and down his body before they finally settled on his tail. She covered her mouth with her hand, Bucky could see the tears running down her cheeks. Was it that ugly?
Bucky gauged his dad and Steve’s reaction. His dad’s eyes were wide, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the beastly wound. Steve looked like he wasn’t going to be sick, he looked like he was on the brink of hyperventilation. He was disgusting.
His mom was yelling at Tony, something Bucky couldn’t hear through the tank. The other teen sat down at the computer station and started typing, Bucky’s dad leaned over his shoulder watching. Winnie hadn’t left the tank, she kept one hand on Bucky’s the other wiping away her tears. She composed herself.
There was a loud metallic pop, the locks on the top of the tank had been unlocked and the top of the tank was opened automatically. Bucky swam to the top, his tail aching with every motion. He grabbed the edge of the tank and pulled himself over the edge and onto the platform that led to tank. He was sore, but the euphoria he felt from his escape masked most of his pain. He laughed with relief, the laughs soon turned hysterical racking sobs that shook his whole body.
His mom ran up the stairs to him and cradled him in her arms, he buried his head into her chest. He cried, he felt sorry for himself. He didn’t deserve this. He felt like a child again, “mama,” he sobbed and she only held him closer.
He was waiting for the shift to take over. When it did, he felt like a new person. He cried out in relief. He laid naked on the platform, but at least he had human legs. His mom pulled out a pair of shorts and Bucky’s vans. He put on his shorts and shoes, his father had climbed up the stairs to help him.
Bucky stood up on shaky legs, only to fall into his father’s arms. Once he got his balance he had to rely on his dad taking most of his weight and the handrails to get him down the stairs. Once he was down and more stable, Steve ran up to him and pulled him in for a bone-crushing hug.
“I was so scared,” Steve whispered.
“Me too,” Bucky replied.
“I hate to break up this reunion, but we need to go,” Tony said from the exit. Bucky followed Tony out of the lab, getting his first real look at the complex. It was white and sterile, it was now what Bucky imagined hell looked like. Bucky leaned on his dad, he was still dizzy and was having a hard time walking.
“I’m sorry,” he said to his dad, who practically carrying him to safety. He’s never felt so helpless.
“Don’t be sorry, we’re almost there kiddo. You’re going to be okay.” Bucky nodded, and he kept going.
The five of them swiftly exited the building and finally made it to the safety of the jungle. They were able to slow down, so Bucky would have an easier time keeping up. They made it to the clearing in no time, Sarah Rogers was out of the car before they even got close.
“Steven Grant! You’re in so much trouble!” she yelled.
Bucky gave him a puzzled look, “I was supposed to stay in the car with everyone else,” Steve said. Bucky laughed as he saw Sam, Nat, and Clint climbing out of the back seat of Sarah’s sedan.
“We’ll talk about it later, first I need to look over Bucky,” she said focusing her attention on him. “Any concerns?”
“They gave me something, drugs. They’ve made me really weak, dizzy, and groggy.”
Sarah nodded assessing him, “are you in any pain?” Bucky nodded his head. “Where?” she asked.
“Everywhere,” he told her.
They were interrupted by a rustling sound in the bushes, everybody was on alert.
“It’s probably just Wanda,” George tried to reason.
“NOBODY MOVE,” said a crazed-looking Howard Stark emerging from the bushes with a gun in hand. Everybody froze.