The Story Book

Cont...  They landed in Algiers the next day, disembarking into the shady side of town. It turned out that Darling was pretty helpful and didn't have to be told to check for cameras or security teams.  Nat picked up work for them that night. A group of insurgents bringing drugs into the country. They would get enough money for a month and a half. Sam would be able to refill the med bag and Wanda a ticket for a destination unknown.  Darling was left at the "safe house" while they went to go take care of it.  It had gone from bad to worse. The drug dealers were on high alert. They had been tipped off that someone was coming for their business.  They had gotten past the first two waves of insurgents easily. The third wave got in a lucky shot knocking Wanda out. Things went downhill from there.  Bucky's nest got found, leaving him to fight off his attackers and leaving them with no cover. Sam's wings shorted out, grounding him and getting rid of any backup they...

   Cont... The Girl was sitting quietly at the table through the whole exchange as conversation flowed. The Soldier hadn't told her what to do, but the redhead, Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, had nodded to one of the chairs, so she had sat. She recognized Captain America as he whined from having to sit still. The black man she didn't recognize. He and Wanda hadn't been there when she'd shot them all up. The group hadn't acknowledged her yet, too busy insulting each other as the Soldier got her food.  She hesitatingly tried some of the soup. It was so good. The chatter of the group became background noise as she appeased her demanding stomach. All too soon, the bowl was empty. That was when she realized they were all watching her wide-eyed.  Panic gripped her, was she supposed to wait? Had she done something wrong? Did she need permission? Had it been to toy with her?  "Dang." Natasha finally whistled, "I think she just gave you two a run for your ...

Cont...  Bucky took a moment to process what she had just said, "There's more of you?"  The Girl seems terrified of him but nods, "Yes. Once they hook you on the drug, you're theirs. If you try and rebel, they let you withdraw. Everyone who has died."  He can tell by her voice she's seen it happen before. He thinks back to her condition the last week and could see how easily it could happen, especially without someone to help them through it. "If it helps your conscious, you almost died too." Bucky offered.  The Girl huffed out a chuckle mirthlessly, "It doesn't."  Bucky sighed; if it were him, it wouldn't either. Changing courses, he looked her over, "How do you feel?"  The Girl thought for a moment, "Fine."  Bucky snorted, "Try again."  She subconsciously curled up smaller when he said that, "Thirsty, sore, sticky."  Bucky nodded, "How's your arm?"  She gave him a quizzic...

  Cont... The first thing the Girl realized was she didn't feel hazy or heavy. The next thing was that she was no longer soaked; in fact, she wasn't in her clothes at all. That was when she registered the heavyweight wrapped around her torso. Someone was in bed WITH her.  Panicking, she shoved off with all her might, landing with a thud on the floor. There were two bunk beds and a cot next to her head. Where was she?  She faintly registered a lull of the floor, but all other observations were overridden when she saw the man who she had been on top of lean over to see her. She knew that face, that was the face that when with every scary story she'd ever heard, the Winter Soldier. And she'd just been sleeping on TOP of him.  "Hey, are you okay?" His voice didn't match his physic as he put his legs over the side of the bed; he was HUGE.  Was she okay? What kind of question was that? She tried to get away from him as he loomed over her, but her limbs were unco...

Cont...  The next morning the Girl started sweating profusely. Wanda and Nat changed her clothes and cooled her down with cold water. It helped for an hour. By the end of the day, she had a growing fever. Sam had given her another IV and fever-fighting medicine.  In the middle of the night, she started murmuring words that didn't make sense. By the second day, it was clear she couldn't be left alone. They all started taking shifts to tend to her. That was also the day she started puking. After the first few times, it was her dry heaving as she moaned. The fever got worse; she didn't wake.  By the fourth day, she was so weak she couldn't move, just lay there shivering and sweating and moaning. Bucky was the only one who could get her to sleep peacefully. She'd latch onto his metal arm, bury her hot forehead on it and sigh. If they were lucky, she'd go to sleep for a few hours. They couldn't pump liquids and nutrients into her fast enough.  On the fifth day, s...

  Cont... It took them an hour to get their stuff and make it down to the docks. Nat's contact was there unloading whatever it was he was transporting. He let them put Steve in one of the bunks. There were only four bunks, but Bucky was fine with sleeping on the cot. Once they had Nat and Steve settled. Bucky turned to Wanda, "Do you feel comfortable?"  Wanda paused before nodding, "Yes, why?"  "Watch them. We'll be back before the boat leaves." Bucky said, grabbing Sam's elbow and his weapons bag, headed for the door.  "Where are we going?" Sam asked, baffled.  "To catch that shooter," Bucky said, shouldering his weapons bag.  "I thought you said they went out the window," Nat recalled.  "Yeah, they went in like a diver too. I'm just going to check." Bucky loaded his handgun.  "We leave in an hour and a half." Sam tried to reason.  "Then we better hurry up," Bucky responded, finis...

  Cont... They made it across town in two hours due to the unrest. They chose an empty back room that was only accessible from an alley to wait. The sun was still a few hours off as they did a perimeter check.  Bucky scanned the roofs and skyscrapers around them, looking for anything or anyone. A flash across the street had him pulling Steve back from stepping out into the line of sight, "Someone's there."  "Where?" Steve scanned the other side of the road.  Where had it been? "Behind those parked cars, your eleven o'clock." Bucky nodded.  Steve looked over in time to see dark fabric vanish into the side door of the office building, "Romanoff, you're with us. Sam, Wanda, double back and make sure no one else is boxing is in. Protect our position or get out of dodge." "You got it." Sam's voice came through the phone in Steve's pocket, too quiet for anyone else to hear.  "You sure this is a good idea?" Nat as...