She stood near the gate as Pierce walked past and the gate was slammed shut. She'd been attempting to watch the man with the metal arm as the other men around him worked repairing it. At one point, he'd punched one of the workers, sending him sprawling across the room.
"So that's the one!" she thought, "He's the one who killed Fury! He's the one who may have killed Captain America and Black Widow! He's "the asset" and my target."
How she ended up in this place was a long story. She was born "special," as her parents told her. She had superhuman strength, stamina, endurance, flight, physical durability, a limited "sixth sense," and the ability to resist the affects of most poisons and toxins. Her parents called her a miracle, but after doing research when she turned 18, she discovered that her mother was exposed to a rare-chemical explosion at the bank where she worked, when a construction crew hit a mysterious, unknown pipe underground. The doctors had told her mother that she and the baby would be fine, but when she was born, her parents discovered something different. She reached all of her milestones much quicker than a normal baby, which her parents tried to pass off as just their miracle baby girl. When she was two and was running from her mother and suddenly took flight, lighting in a tree 30 feet away and 50 feet up, her parents knew they had to hide her. They taught her at home and told her that, while she was a miracle, she must hide all she can do. They warned her that if she did show her powers, someone would take her away.
She grew up accepting that belief, and she tried her best to hide her powers. It wasn't until she was 18 and found the truth that she sought help to develop, rather than hide them. She found a doctor who not only kept her secret but showed her how to harness her powers and trained her in combat and martial arts. He also showed her how to hide her powers and only use what was necessary.
Now, at 26, she had infiltrated Hydra. It was a boyfriend who had accidentally spilled the secrets of Hydra, just pieces of it, but enough to interest her. Her intelligence was beyond measure and her abilities in fighting won her a place at S.H.I.E.L.D. easily. There she quickly found a link and an invitation to join the evil Hydra that was hidden beneath the structures of S.H.I.E.L.D. Her initial mission, one built by her own design, was to infiltrate the rogue organization, gain some intelligence on them and turn it over to Director Fury. All that changed just days before when Fury was killed, reportedly by "the asset."
The fact that she was just feet away from him now caused the adrenaline to course through her veins. She was minutes away from taking every one of these men down and then killing the man with the metal arm. Once Pierce entered, she listened with baited breath.
"Mission report!"
Silence.
"Mission report, now!"
Pierce slapped him and she jolted.
"I've got to calm down," she thought, "The adrenaline is making me twitch."
When the "the asset" came to and turned to Pierce, the entire room filled with static electricity.
"There was a man on the bridge," he whispered, "Who was he?"
"You met him earlier this week on another assignment," Pierce responded.
Her eyes were fixed on "the asset." She saw something different in his eyes. Why... it was pain! There was also confusion and a little fear.
"I knew him," he whispered, looking at Pierce with something that was between anguish and fear...and was that.......hope?
When Pierce began giving "the asset" his speech about Hydra and freedom, she wanted to be sick. She hated being there, but she knew what she needed to do. She watched closely, her eyes never leaving "the asset"'s solemn face.
She began to wonder who he was talking about. Was he talking about Steve Rogers, Captain America? Her mind raced through all of the research she'd done on Cap. He was born in 1918, sickly and weak. His parents had both died from illness. He was the "chosen one" for a special serum and once given, he became the "super soldier." It was then that he rescued almost 400 men from the 107th, including his best friend, Bucky Barnes...
Her eyes grew wide. "Bucky!" she whispered. The two men next to her looked over, but thankfully, they hadn't either heard or understood what she said. Her mind raced.
Finally Pierce stopped talking and the anguish that she saw there on the man she'd now determined had to be Bucky Barnes immediately changed all her plans.
"But I knew him," he said once again.
Her plans had to change quicker than she was anticipating when she heard Pierce order for Bucky to be prepped. When one of the other men protested that he'd been out of cryo too long, Pierce coldly demanded that he be wiped and they start over.
That was it for her. She turned and stepped a few feet away, stripping off her business suit to reveal a black one-piece uniform, bearing a golden lightning bolt across the middle. She was wearing black, thigh-high boots and she slipped on black gloves. The men who had been next to her at the outside gate didn't even notice. They were too busy watching what was going on inside the vault. She worked quickly, pulling her long blonde hair out of its bun. When she turned, the men noticed. It was too late for them. With a leap and a scissor kick, they were out. There was a commotion in the vault, as some men turned, guns drawn.
She smirked, dove at the gate, pulling it off its hinges. The men were in shock, which only served to help her complete her new mission...to save "the asset."
She had to save Bucky Barnes.
She slid across the floor, taking out a row of men, before leaping up and using the wall of bank deposit boxes to anchor her next move. Within minutes, the ground was covered with men, some in anguish, some dead. Nothing mattered to her but getting Bucky out of that vault and finding Captain America.
During all of the commotion, she'd managed to knock the machine that was holding Bucky out of working order before it was able to complete its purpose. He was still there in his chair, his arms trapped in the vices, and he watched her in shock.
Her final destination was sitting on top of Pierce's chest, a pistol pressed against his temple.
"I think you're the one who needs to be wiped, Pierce," she seethed. She hated that man and all he was trying to accomplish. She hated him for having Fury killed.
"Carol Danvers? Is that you?" he asked, releasing a heavy swoosh of air from being knocked down just moments earlier.
"That doesn't matter! Do you have any last words?"
At first he tried to reason with her, but he knew he was at his end. He conceded, believing his ultimate plan would still be accomplished.
"Hail Hydra," he whispered.
Carol gritted her teeth. She leapt up, putting one foot on his abdomen.
"Bad choice of words," she whispered, and proceeded to put three bullet holes in his chest.
She turned to Bucky who was staring wildly at her, breathing heavily. His eyes were wide and he strained against the machine that was holding him.
She shook for a moment, the adrenaline slowly seeping from her body. She looked at him with compassion but approached him cautiously.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked, "Did you recognize the man you fought on the bridge? The one you were trying to kill?"
He grimaced, "He called me 'Bucky'," he whispered, "He knew me. Then all of these memories came rushing back."
He looked down at the floor and then back up at her.
"Yes, I knew him."
She smiled, "Then, let's go see if we can find him. My name is Carol. I'm...I'm going to get you out of these restraints. Don't attack me. I'm here to help you, I promise."
He looked around the room at all of the men on the floor, pausing at Pierce whose white shirt was now soaked crimson. He looked back at her and just nodded.
She pulled on the restraints and they bent at her effort. He jerked his arms loose.
"Where is he?" he asked.
She put her hand out to him, "I don't...know. They took him away. Come with me. We'll find out."
He put his hand in hers and stood, feeling dizzy at first. She steadied him.
"We're going to have to get you some clothes. We've got to cover that arm of yours."
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
"Yes. Your name is Bucky Barnes. That man on the bridge is your friend. You grew up together."
He looked down, biting his lip. She could tell he was fighting demons that stirred within.
"It's going to be okay. I'm going to help you, Bucky. No matter what."
They stepped out of the vault and she grabbed her clothes and slipped them over her costume. When they made their way up the steps from the basement to the street, she thought about how she was going to get him something to wear.
They reached the door and she turned to him, "Stay here. I'll be right back."
And she meant it. She moved with super speed just up the street to a clothing store, not caring about the stares she received from the people around her. Within minutes she found a shirt, a hooded jacket, and a baseball cap for him. Thankfully, there was no line and she paid and left.
Once she helped him dress and again tried to reassure him that everything was going to be okay, they walked together down the street to the Smithsonian museum.
There she showed him the Captain America exhibit and the large glass display that told his story. He stood staring at it in horror. He felt a surge of pain rush through him that was quickly replaced with anger.
Carol watched him carefully, continuing to hold his hand, reminding him she would help him. She felt angry, too. She remembered learning about Captain America. She'd been to this exhibit several times. She was fascinated by his story. She was heartbroken by his loss of his friend. She hoped that Cap was still out there somewhere, alive and well. She needed to find him.
"We've got to go to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters," she whispered. "Hydra is going to kill a bunch of people. I can't let that happen, Bucky."
He looked at her and nodded. He had no idea who this powerful woman standing in front of him was, but he knew he needed to trust her.
Along the way to headquarters, Carol's mind ran through a plan. She really wished she knew if Captain America and Black Widow had gotten away. She wouldn't be able to take Bucky into S.H.I.E.L.D with her. He'd never make it past security.
Suddenly, her sixth sense filled her mind with images. She saw a dam. She saw Captain America and Black Widow and Fury! She stopped dead in her tracks and pulled Bucky over to a shop door and inside.
"What are we doing in here?" he whispered, looking around at the shocked faces that greeted them.
"Shh! I have to think!" she responded.
She dropped his hand and put fingers up to her temples. Her head was throbbing as dozens of images poured through her brain. She almost cried out from the pain, when the path became clear to her.
"Let's go," she said, taking his hand in hers again, "This way."
They went out the door and down the street. She found an alley and worked her way through the trash to a smaller street filled with cars and no people. She found a car and quickly broke inside.
"Get in!" she motioned to Bucky, and he looked around before opening the door and sliding into the passenger seat.
He was feeling overwhelmed. He was confused and was holding onto so much anger that he was afraid he might lash out at Carol. He bit his lip and watched as she worked the wires under the steering column. When the car roared to life, she shifted gears and took off.
"Where are we going?" he asked, feeling a little impatient.
"I know where they are," she answered, "We're going to see your friend."
A rush of relief ran through him. For the first time, he had a ray of hope that all his questions would be answered.
She maneuvered through the traffic and ended up on a small road outside of town. She thought how much easier it would've been to just fly there, but she had no idea how volatile Bucky was feeling. What if he freaked out when she took him. ran, and pulled him into the air? It'd been a while since she'd worked those powers anyway. She grunted and pushed the pedal to the floor.
As they made their way up a dirt road, her senses went wild. She stopped the car in what seemed like the middle of nowhere.
"We'll walk from here," she said, getting out and slamming the door. He watched her as she walked around to the passenger side, waiting for him to exit.
He opened the door, "Where are we?"
"We are just minutes away from finding your friend, Steve Rogers," she responded, giving him a reassuring smile. "Come on. This is a good thing."
She held her hand out and he took it. For whatever reason, he felt comfort in holding her hand. He followed along behind her.
They were walking uphill, Carol's senses heightened. It was a hill leading to a bridge of some sort, one made of concrete. When the reached the top, she paused, smiling.
"Let's go, Bucky, right through that opening there," she pointed just ahead and they followed the rough path, and walked through an opening in a chain link fence.
Up ahead, a man stood looking out from the bridge. He was wearing khaki pants and a navy blue jacket. Carol recognized him immediately and it sent a chill of excitement through her.
She turned, "There he is, Bucky. Go." She motioned him in the direction of where Steve was standing.
"You're not coming with me?"
She had thought it would be more meaningful for Bucky to go alone, but considering the last time Steve had seen Bucky, he was trying to kill him, she changed her mind.
"Sure, I'll go with you. It's going to be okay."
Just then, Steve turned. He jerked and stood in a defensive stance, glancing around at his options for escape. Almost immediately, his body relaxed. He could see there was nothing foreboding in the people who were approaching.
As they got closer, Steve's mouth gaped, "Bucky?"
Bucky let out a kind of sad laugh, "I...I think so. I remember you."
Steve didn't know if he should try to hug him, cry, or laugh. He couldn't believe Bucky was standing there in front of him.
Just then, a man Carol didn't recognize, walked from the other side of the bridge. His mouth was open in surprise.
"Everything okay here?" he asked, cautiously.
Steve smiled, walked up to Bucky and held out his hand to shake it. Bucky looked at Carol. She smiled and nodded, letting his hand go. He stuck his hand out and took Steve's.
"I can't remember every...thing..." he stammered.
"It's okay," Steve and Carol responded in unison. For the first time, Steve noticed Carol there next to Bucky.
He turned his head to the man that had just walked up, "Sam, this is my friend, Bucky Barnes. He remembers me," he said, grinning.
Sam smiled broadly but knew better than to approach Bucky. He saw that his face was filled with fear and confusion.
Bucky cleared his throat and turned to face Carol, "This is Carol. She...she saved me. She's... helping me."
Steve nodded at Carol, "Thank you. How did you do it?"
Bucky scoffed and shook his head, "You won't believe it."
Carol laughed and stuck her hand out to Steve. He took it, smiling back at her.
She shook his hand and said, "It's nice to meet you, Captain America."
She released his hand and crossed her arms in front of her, "I infiltrated Hydra. My ultimate goal was to reveal their plans. Then, when this guy showed up," she patted Bucky's shoulder, "I thought he would be my new mission, that I would have to stop him. Turns out, you got through to him. He's got a long way to go, but he does remember you. I took him to the exhibit at the Smithsonian."
"She...she took out a bunch of men at Hydra. They were going to wipe my memories. She killed Pierce," Bucky offered.
Steve's mouth dropped open, "How did you...?"
She uncrossed her arms and pulled open her dress shirt, revealing the golden lightning bolt, "Some people call me, Ms. Marvel," she smiled, winking at him.
She continued, "So it seems Hydra has some pretty nasty plans. I'm guessing you have some way to stop them?"
Sam walked over to stand next to Steve as they both stared at her costume. Steve, realizing where, specifically, he was staring, coughed and looked away, embarrassed.
"Yeah. We've got a plan." Steve offered, "You in?"
She looked at Bucky, a question crossing her features. When he nodded and gave a small smile, she looked back at Cap, "When do we get started?"
"So that's the one!" she thought, "He's the one who killed Fury! He's the one who may have killed Captain America and Black Widow! He's "the asset" and my target."
How she ended up in this place was a long story. She was born "special," as her parents told her. She had superhuman strength, stamina, endurance, flight, physical durability, a limited "sixth sense," and the ability to resist the affects of most poisons and toxins. Her parents called her a miracle, but after doing research when she turned 18, she discovered that her mother was exposed to a rare-chemical explosion at the bank where she worked, when a construction crew hit a mysterious, unknown pipe underground. The doctors had told her mother that she and the baby would be fine, but when she was born, her parents discovered something different. She reached all of her milestones much quicker than a normal baby, which her parents tried to pass off as just their miracle baby girl. When she was two and was running from her mother and suddenly took flight, lighting in a tree 30 feet away and 50 feet up, her parents knew they had to hide her. They taught her at home and told her that, while she was a miracle, she must hide all she can do. They warned her that if she did show her powers, someone would take her away.
She grew up accepting that belief, and she tried her best to hide her powers. It wasn't until she was 18 and found the truth that she sought help to develop, rather than hide them. She found a doctor who not only kept her secret but showed her how to harness her powers and trained her in combat and martial arts. He also showed her how to hide her powers and only use what was necessary.
Now, at 26, she had infiltrated Hydra. It was a boyfriend who had accidentally spilled the secrets of Hydra, just pieces of it, but enough to interest her. Her intelligence was beyond measure and her abilities in fighting won her a place at S.H.I.E.L.D. easily. There she quickly found a link and an invitation to join the evil Hydra that was hidden beneath the structures of S.H.I.E.L.D. Her initial mission, one built by her own design, was to infiltrate the rogue organization, gain some intelligence on them and turn it over to Director Fury. All that changed just days before when Fury was killed, reportedly by "the asset."
The fact that she was just feet away from him now caused the adrenaline to course through her veins. She was minutes away from taking every one of these men down and then killing the man with the metal arm. Once Pierce entered, she listened with baited breath.
"Mission report!"
Silence.
"Mission report, now!"
Pierce slapped him and she jolted.
"I've got to calm down," she thought, "The adrenaline is making me twitch."
When the "the asset" came to and turned to Pierce, the entire room filled with static electricity.
"There was a man on the bridge," he whispered, "Who was he?"
"You met him earlier this week on another assignment," Pierce responded.
Her eyes were fixed on "the asset." She saw something different in his eyes. Why... it was pain! There was also confusion and a little fear.
"I knew him," he whispered, looking at Pierce with something that was between anguish and fear...and was that.......hope?
When Pierce began giving "the asset" his speech about Hydra and freedom, she wanted to be sick. She hated being there, but she knew what she needed to do. She watched closely, her eyes never leaving "the asset"'s solemn face.
She began to wonder who he was talking about. Was he talking about Steve Rogers, Captain America? Her mind raced through all of the research she'd done on Cap. He was born in 1918, sickly and weak. His parents had both died from illness. He was the "chosen one" for a special serum and once given, he became the "super soldier." It was then that he rescued almost 400 men from the 107th, including his best friend, Bucky Barnes...
Her eyes grew wide. "Bucky!" she whispered. The two men next to her looked over, but thankfully, they hadn't either heard or understood what she said. Her mind raced.
Finally Pierce stopped talking and the anguish that she saw there on the man she'd now determined had to be Bucky Barnes immediately changed all her plans.
"But I knew him," he said once again.
Her plans had to change quicker than she was anticipating when she heard Pierce order for Bucky to be prepped. When one of the other men protested that he'd been out of cryo too long, Pierce coldly demanded that he be wiped and they start over.
That was it for her. She turned and stepped a few feet away, stripping off her business suit to reveal a black one-piece uniform, bearing a golden lightning bolt across the middle. She was wearing black, thigh-high boots and she slipped on black gloves. The men who had been next to her at the outside gate didn't even notice. They were too busy watching what was going on inside the vault. She worked quickly, pulling her long blonde hair out of its bun. When she turned, the men noticed. It was too late for them. With a leap and a scissor kick, they were out. There was a commotion in the vault, as some men turned, guns drawn.
She smirked, dove at the gate, pulling it off its hinges. The men were in shock, which only served to help her complete her new mission...to save "the asset."
She had to save Bucky Barnes.
She slid across the floor, taking out a row of men, before leaping up and using the wall of bank deposit boxes to anchor her next move. Within minutes, the ground was covered with men, some in anguish, some dead. Nothing mattered to her but getting Bucky out of that vault and finding Captain America.
During all of the commotion, she'd managed to knock the machine that was holding Bucky out of working order before it was able to complete its purpose. He was still there in his chair, his arms trapped in the vices, and he watched her in shock.
Her final destination was sitting on top of Pierce's chest, a pistol pressed against his temple.
"I think you're the one who needs to be wiped, Pierce," she seethed. She hated that man and all he was trying to accomplish. She hated him for having Fury killed.
"Carol Danvers? Is that you?" he asked, releasing a heavy swoosh of air from being knocked down just moments earlier.
"That doesn't matter! Do you have any last words?"
At first he tried to reason with her, but he knew he was at his end. He conceded, believing his ultimate plan would still be accomplished.
"Hail Hydra," he whispered.
Carol gritted her teeth. She leapt up, putting one foot on his abdomen.
"Bad choice of words," she whispered, and proceeded to put three bullet holes in his chest.
She turned to Bucky who was staring wildly at her, breathing heavily. His eyes were wide and he strained against the machine that was holding him.
She shook for a moment, the adrenaline slowly seeping from her body. She looked at him with compassion but approached him cautiously.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked, "Did you recognize the man you fought on the bridge? The one you were trying to kill?"
He grimaced, "He called me 'Bucky'," he whispered, "He knew me. Then all of these memories came rushing back."
He looked down at the floor and then back up at her.
"Yes, I knew him."
She smiled, "Then, let's go see if we can find him. My name is Carol. I'm...I'm going to get you out of these restraints. Don't attack me. I'm here to help you, I promise."
He looked around the room at all of the men on the floor, pausing at Pierce whose white shirt was now soaked crimson. He looked back at her and just nodded.
She pulled on the restraints and they bent at her effort. He jerked his arms loose.
"Where is he?" he asked.
She put her hand out to him, "I don't...know. They took him away. Come with me. We'll find out."
He put his hand in hers and stood, feeling dizzy at first. She steadied him.
"We're going to have to get you some clothes. We've got to cover that arm of yours."
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
"Yes. Your name is Bucky Barnes. That man on the bridge is your friend. You grew up together."
He looked down, biting his lip. She could tell he was fighting demons that stirred within.
"It's going to be okay. I'm going to help you, Bucky. No matter what."
They stepped out of the vault and she grabbed her clothes and slipped them over her costume. When they made their way up the steps from the basement to the street, she thought about how she was going to get him something to wear.
They reached the door and she turned to him, "Stay here. I'll be right back."
And she meant it. She moved with super speed just up the street to a clothing store, not caring about the stares she received from the people around her. Within minutes she found a shirt, a hooded jacket, and a baseball cap for him. Thankfully, there was no line and she paid and left.
Once she helped him dress and again tried to reassure him that everything was going to be okay, they walked together down the street to the Smithsonian museum.
There she showed him the Captain America exhibit and the large glass display that told his story. He stood staring at it in horror. He felt a surge of pain rush through him that was quickly replaced with anger.
Carol watched him carefully, continuing to hold his hand, reminding him she would help him. She felt angry, too. She remembered learning about Captain America. She'd been to this exhibit several times. She was fascinated by his story. She was heartbroken by his loss of his friend. She hoped that Cap was still out there somewhere, alive and well. She needed to find him.
"We've got to go to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters," she whispered. "Hydra is going to kill a bunch of people. I can't let that happen, Bucky."
He looked at her and nodded. He had no idea who this powerful woman standing in front of him was, but he knew he needed to trust her.
Along the way to headquarters, Carol's mind ran through a plan. She really wished she knew if Captain America and Black Widow had gotten away. She wouldn't be able to take Bucky into S.H.I.E.L.D with her. He'd never make it past security.
Suddenly, her sixth sense filled her mind with images. She saw a dam. She saw Captain America and Black Widow and Fury! She stopped dead in her tracks and pulled Bucky over to a shop door and inside.
"What are we doing in here?" he whispered, looking around at the shocked faces that greeted them.
"Shh! I have to think!" she responded.
She dropped his hand and put fingers up to her temples. Her head was throbbing as dozens of images poured through her brain. She almost cried out from the pain, when the path became clear to her.
"Let's go," she said, taking his hand in hers again, "This way."
They went out the door and down the street. She found an alley and worked her way through the trash to a smaller street filled with cars and no people. She found a car and quickly broke inside.
"Get in!" she motioned to Bucky, and he looked around before opening the door and sliding into the passenger seat.
He was feeling overwhelmed. He was confused and was holding onto so much anger that he was afraid he might lash out at Carol. He bit his lip and watched as she worked the wires under the steering column. When the car roared to life, she shifted gears and took off.
"Where are we going?" he asked, feeling a little impatient.
"I know where they are," she answered, "We're going to see your friend."
A rush of relief ran through him. For the first time, he had a ray of hope that all his questions would be answered.
She maneuvered through the traffic and ended up on a small road outside of town. She thought how much easier it would've been to just fly there, but she had no idea how volatile Bucky was feeling. What if he freaked out when she took him. ran, and pulled him into the air? It'd been a while since she'd worked those powers anyway. She grunted and pushed the pedal to the floor.
As they made their way up a dirt road, her senses went wild. She stopped the car in what seemed like the middle of nowhere.
"We'll walk from here," she said, getting out and slamming the door. He watched her as she walked around to the passenger side, waiting for him to exit.
He opened the door, "Where are we?"
"We are just minutes away from finding your friend, Steve Rogers," she responded, giving him a reassuring smile. "Come on. This is a good thing."
She held her hand out and he took it. For whatever reason, he felt comfort in holding her hand. He followed along behind her.
They were walking uphill, Carol's senses heightened. It was a hill leading to a bridge of some sort, one made of concrete. When the reached the top, she paused, smiling.
"Let's go, Bucky, right through that opening there," she pointed just ahead and they followed the rough path, and walked through an opening in a chain link fence.
Up ahead, a man stood looking out from the bridge. He was wearing khaki pants and a navy blue jacket. Carol recognized him immediately and it sent a chill of excitement through her.
She turned, "There he is, Bucky. Go." She motioned him in the direction of where Steve was standing.
"You're not coming with me?"
She had thought it would be more meaningful for Bucky to go alone, but considering the last time Steve had seen Bucky, he was trying to kill him, she changed her mind.
"Sure, I'll go with you. It's going to be okay."
Just then, Steve turned. He jerked and stood in a defensive stance, glancing around at his options for escape. Almost immediately, his body relaxed. He could see there was nothing foreboding in the people who were approaching.
As they got closer, Steve's mouth gaped, "Bucky?"
Bucky let out a kind of sad laugh, "I...I think so. I remember you."
Steve didn't know if he should try to hug him, cry, or laugh. He couldn't believe Bucky was standing there in front of him.
Just then, a man Carol didn't recognize, walked from the other side of the bridge. His mouth was open in surprise.
"Everything okay here?" he asked, cautiously.
Steve smiled, walked up to Bucky and held out his hand to shake it. Bucky looked at Carol. She smiled and nodded, letting his hand go. He stuck his hand out and took Steve's.
"I can't remember every...thing..." he stammered.
"It's okay," Steve and Carol responded in unison. For the first time, Steve noticed Carol there next to Bucky.
He turned his head to the man that had just walked up, "Sam, this is my friend, Bucky Barnes. He remembers me," he said, grinning.
Sam smiled broadly but knew better than to approach Bucky. He saw that his face was filled with fear and confusion.
Bucky cleared his throat and turned to face Carol, "This is Carol. She...she saved me. She's... helping me."
Steve nodded at Carol, "Thank you. How did you do it?"
Bucky scoffed and shook his head, "You won't believe it."
Carol laughed and stuck her hand out to Steve. He took it, smiling back at her.
She shook his hand and said, "It's nice to meet you, Captain America."
She released his hand and crossed her arms in front of her, "I infiltrated Hydra. My ultimate goal was to reveal their plans. Then, when this guy showed up," she patted Bucky's shoulder, "I thought he would be my new mission, that I would have to stop him. Turns out, you got through to him. He's got a long way to go, but he does remember you. I took him to the exhibit at the Smithsonian."
"She...she took out a bunch of men at Hydra. They were going to wipe my memories. She killed Pierce," Bucky offered.
Steve's mouth dropped open, "How did you...?"
She uncrossed her arms and pulled open her dress shirt, revealing the golden lightning bolt, "Some people call me, Ms. Marvel," she smiled, winking at him.
She continued, "So it seems Hydra has some pretty nasty plans. I'm guessing you have some way to stop them?"
Sam walked over to stand next to Steve as they both stared at her costume. Steve, realizing where, specifically, he was staring, coughed and looked away, embarrassed.
"Yeah. We've got a plan." Steve offered, "You in?"
She looked at Bucky, a question crossing her features. When he nodded and gave a small smile, she looked back at Cap, "When do we get started?"