#shame he didn't get the chance before- *sniper takes me out*

[goldencorecrunches]

my secret wangji-yanli besties backstory idea is that one time in the cloud recesses she gave him a midol and it made his headache go away and ever since he's been ready to take 10,000 blades for her at any moment

[fanatichistory]

The Dark Within Part 12

*Edited

Masterlist1 Masterlist2 Part20

Behold Part 12 in all of it's continued domestic glory lol Don't get me wrong I'm partial to the action in HeroxVillain stories but I can't get past the character building of the dynamics between these two! They are so cute and in need of some hugs and just...yeah ^.^

CW: Mentions of past abuse, hurt/comfort, Deimos is villain caretaker, Maven Sidekick/former hero,

Deimos had finally managed to hide his smile away and pull out his serious business face before the doors to the elevator opened up to the penthouse. 

His little sidekick was lounging on the couch, feet kicking up in the air carefree, paging through one of the many magazines Supervillain had stashed around the side and coffee tables.

He was about to reprimand her for the cheek kiss when he paused to look over her shoulder to see which magazine she chose. He found the weapons magazine was the one and that she was practically petting a rather mean looking gun. By the picture alone, he could tell it was almost as long as she was tall and it was fitted with one of those night vision scopes.

"It's a sniper rifle." Maven said without turning to look up at him as she sensed his presence behind her, leaning over the back of the couch. Instead she continued to pet the picture lovingly while she continued. 

"The CheyTac M200...they named it Intervention and it's said to be the most accurate sniper rifle with a grouping at a 2122 meter range! That's huuuuge."

"Looks a lot... bigger than you...How would you go about carrying such a beast? How would you conceal your 'Intervention' until you get to your little bird nest to pick off the other big birds?" Deimos lightly but thoroughly questioned her, trying not to smile proudly as he remained in his business mode. It was getting rather hard to do with her if he was being honest but he couldn’t help but be intrigued by her train of thought.

A sniper rifle?

"Hmm...That's true..." Maven conceded almost reluctantly. 

"Besides isn't the rifle only as good as it's shooter? Or whatever?" Deimos was trying to conceal as much as his confusion as possible. This was, more or less, Supervillain’s area of expertise as he relied more heavily on his shadows to produce his bladed weapons when needed.

"I just wanna start picking off some of the heroes...as soon as possible..." She was so quiet he almost didn’t hear her answer while she blushed guiltily.

Deimos blinked down at her in shock before throwing his head back in a laugh. He practically doubled over the couch as he tried to contain himself while she just grumbled at him and kept thumbing through the magazine. 

"Why the sudden urge to kill may I ask?" He asked her when he finally calmed down his laughter and walked around the couch to join her.

For what seemed like a long while she didn't answer and he was debating with prompting her further when she finally did. 

"Some of them are as bad as Leader...as Jason...there are other teams out there like mine. Other people who are hurting...like me...if there's a chance I can pick off the bad ones I'm want to take it." She refused to look up at him and preferred to hide behind her long hair. Her hair succeeded in hiding her face from him but he knew her face already like the back of his hand and what was expressed on there. 

Guilt. Shame.

Pain.

He was half tempted to give her the warning nickname 'little hero' that he would call her when her old life cropped up. But she broke no rule he had established with her. He could only get back up and kneel beside the couch, brush aside that long hair of hers and have her look at him.

"I understand." He stated simply. Because he did understand. He was like Maven at one point in his life so he knew the confusion and mix of emotions she was still going through as she processed her career change. 

After all it had only been a week. 

"I understand you know other heroes like Jason and want to put a stop to them. I feel the same way, that is why I chose to take down the Academy of Heroes. They are the ones kidnapping gifted and non-gifted children alike for their own purposes. They are the ones creating the monsters of today." He stood back up and her gaze followed him as he stared sadly down at her. 

"They created me." 

Maven blinked in shock, assuming like the others that he had always commanded the shadows. Had always been this scary. Intimidating sure, Deimos knew he was. He was raised by his parents to be so, considering the style of life and family business they ran, but never scary scary. Not unless you were the enemy of the family. 

Maven sat up on the couch and really looked at him. As if to weigh his words and tell if he was being truthful or not. "You were trained at the Academy?" She asked quietly.

"As was Villain2. And Supervillain back when she was younger, as are the other villains in this area Supervillain rescued and brought here with her. All but one villain back home in our city are from the same Academy." 

"All but one?" 

"Yeah, some fan with a dark side who's into Villain2. Thought he could join up with him but Villain2 isn't much of a team player per se? So the poor fan gets knocked around a lot by them. I'm not sure why he chose villainy as a career other than to get closer to Villain2. Bit creepy really...and dangerous."

"More like very. You should check in with Villain2 more...you know, just in case..."

"Why?" Deimos almost smiled at her concern for Villain2. She was such a team player that it was going to take awhile for her to grasp that such concepts don’t exist outside of heroism.

"Well, because you're villains!? Because you're on the same side?" Maven answered exasperated and taken aback by his question. Clearly confused.

Before answering or continuing further, Deimos lowered himself to sit on the coffee table across from her so they could stare face to face.

"I need you to understand something, and understand it fast little Maven, villains are not like heroes. We do not watch each other's back unless it is for our gain. We do not team up unless we get something out of it. We see to our own needs and goals first and foremost because we are the only ones who care enough about it to carry it out. Do you understand me?"

Maven looked down and nodded guiltily.

"Do you?" He prompted again, curious if she was agreeing to simply agree given her submissive nature or if she did truly hear him.

"Yes." She responded much more firmly that he was satisfied.

"Then what is bothering you?" He asked next with his head tilted as he leaned in trying to read her and figure out why she withdrew back into herself. He was trying to help her, to make her see how the world really worked when one didn't have an ally to watch their back.

"It's just really sad...always being alone...and never trusting anyone. It's...it's like being back with the heroes...I thought at least that part would be different you know? That I'd finally found someone to watch my back...." She mumbled through most of it and it was only because he was leaning forward while sitting across from her that allowed him to actually hear all that she was saying to him.

"You can trust me Maven." He said finally, knowing as soon as the words left his mouth that he meant them. Deimos struggling with himself as he wondered how she didn’t hear it before when he already told her that she could. When he showed it to her.

"You basically just said I can't." She argued, frustration flashing in her eyes as she sat up straighter and openly challenged his words. "You literally just said-"

"-I know what I said little hero." He interrupted as Maven went quiet as soon as she heard the warning nickname. Deimos took the moment to rake a hand through his hair and take a breath. Technically she didn’t break a rule, she was just getting on his nerves by raising her voice and challenging him when he struggled to communicate what he wanted to say.

"You're not making sense anymore...if we only serve ourselves first then how are we going to work? We can't take the Academy down with just the two of us...You're going to need a small army, trained and prepared like those at the Academy...You're going to need supplies and cash for all the soldiers' gear, equipment, medical supplies for the survivors, food to feed them all...You're going to need to be a leader, one that all the other villains can look up to and follow like I do." Maven sighed and leaned back into the couch in a huff, looking off to the side as she laid her thoughts out.

"I guess what I'm asking is...are you ready? To change that is, because the current style of villainy isn't going to get you what you want... I don't think at least..."

Deimos leaned forward and propped his arms on his legs as he digested her worries. She was not wrong in her assessment as he had come to the same or similar conclusions not so long ago.

He always figured he could just show up at the Academy, lay waste to the guards and older heroes who were in charge of security and training the newer generation, and just...corral all of the younger ones away so they wouldn't interfere as he went for the administration and Board of Heroes at the top of the corruption there.

But hearing Maven voice the concern out loud, having had no strategic preparation or inclusion to his private plans, raised some major alarm bells for him. 

She was right, they were going to need an army of sorts. One of former heroes like her who were just as sick of the system as the villains were.

"Alright, I hear you. " He said finally, gaining her attention once again. "But what is your plan for acquiring the said little army? How would you suggest I recruit them? Do I let all the little heroes in on our personal dynamic?" He was teasing her a little but his questions were sincere and serious. He supposed he was being a little naïve in his plans to outright slaughter the Academy and all it stood for, including the people held within.

Maven frowned as she thought awhile. 

"Well...Not everyone wanted to be a hero, like me they were forced...unlike me they might not want to be a villain either, they probably just want to be normal citizens if given the chance..." She sighed again as she continued to think out loud. "Personally, I want to give them that chance if I can. Freedom for all."

"So that is your goal then?" He mused curiously, finger tapping his chin.

"One of them..."

"Go on then..." He murmured gently to her, trying to ease the tension of their conversation as much as he could. 

"Well, yes I want the heroes free. Heroics should be a choice, like villainy is. I don't think anyone should be forced to do anything like that." 

Deimos kept his face passive at that. 

Personally, he felt they were a lost cause and only the younger ones still at the Academy stood a chance at returning to a normal life in the city. This goal of hers in particular could pose a problem further down the road...

"I also want to learn how to help you with this, er, little army of yours? Like to be your second or something?" Maven posed it as a question just in case she was out of line as a Sidekick, not quite sure how promotions worked under him.

"You want to give orders too?" He chuckled at the thought. He pegged her for shy and submissive but after her teasing down in the training gym when they were sparring he couldn't outright deny the image.

"Most definitely." She nodded eagerly, then paused and cocked her head in thought. "Well, maybe...I would like to try though. See what it's like?" He chuckled and shook his head. She wasn’t ready and he couldn’t trust her like that yet.

She was better suited to healing and intelligence, not combat strategy. She was more about putting people together and not in tearing them apart. As much as Deimos enjoyed the idea of having her as a partner, a little Sidekick, in truth her abilities as healer and battery made her a better prisoner and friend.

To avoid having her secret found out and having her fall into enemy hands. 

The more he got to talking with his little hero though, the more he saw her struggling with the darkness she had buried inside. And that worried him. 

Battles with ones inner darkness had a way of making or breaking a person. And she was getting very eager to kill her enemies and having less and less reservations about it. Not that he particularly minded as he didn’t have many himself but it was still disconcerting to watch the change take place.

"Well then...let's focus on our little army first." He leaned back and stretched as he directed the conversation. "Who is first up on your little recruitment list?"

"Well...funny you should ask..." She gave a nervous ‘heh heh’.

"Am I not going to like the suggestion?" Maven nodded in response and instinctively shrunk smaller as she waited for a reprimand or a punishment, still expecting pain like the ones from her former Team Hero. "Go on and tell me, little Maven. We are in this together.” He pressed her gently.

"Maelstrom..."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised it's someone from your former team." Deimos got up suddenly and walked to the kitchen so she didn’t see the glower overtaking his features, though not quite dismissing the idea as she must be suggesting the Hero for a reason, but also signaling her to continue and explain her reasoning.

"Well, she was Leader's second in command and she is really good at it. She achieves the mission 9/10 times, she doesn't take unnecessary risks and is patient, well at the mission at least. Not so much elsewhere. She also keeps an eye on her team, seeing to their care and not just physically. If a member had a mental breakdown or was going through a lot of stress, she saw to it that they recovered." Maven chuckled at whatever memory surfaced in her mind. "Come to think of it, she'd boss me into getting the needed medications and such."

"And you didn't mind her ordering you around? She didn't partake in abusing and bullying you?" Deimos was still skeptical, particularly of anyone from Maven's former team. Maelstrom might be all what she was implying but the Hero had to have known what was going on and was either party to it or stood by. 

He still had some doubts about Maven herself in terms of trust but it was mainly due to her experiences and not at all herself as a person. She needed healing, hell all the citizens in that corrupt city needed healing. 

"No, she was very straight forward and to the point about it. She'd also check in with me when Leader wasn't around, make sure I ate that day and that I had enough bandages." Maven turned to face him on the couch so she could watch him move in the kitchen without having to get up. 

"I remember Leader getting really really mad at her just for asking for me. She was training with Leader and was hurt so it was only natural she asked for me since I was in charge of all the medical supplies and all. But Leader...he took it the wrong way cause he though she knew about my healing ability and the others had to pull him off her. She had to go to the Academy Clinic and was there for a few months to recover. Leader made sure I didn't use my ability for anyone else but him, being a secret and all, and the whole time she was recovering he thought I was sneak healing to the others too...that they all knew my secret..."

"And so he took it out on you as well." He finished for her, having a feeling that was where she was going to go with it. She nodded to confirm he was right. A little unnerved by just how much of her he saw. " I thought you only got along with the Sidekicks, for survival you said, or did I misunderstand earlier?"

"You didn't. I might understand Maelstrom and why she chose to survive the way she did...but she still didn't have my back. She only asked about me out of pity or guilt. I don't feel bad or good about her, rather I feel neutral. She's a survivor like me, so she will make the survivor's move." Maven was gazing off in his general direction as he made dinner but he could tell she was lost down memory lane by the way her eyes were glazed over.

"Do you trust her little Maven? In war you need to trust you're soldiers, so do you trust her?"

"I don't trust anyone." Maven deadpanned.

Deimos laughed at that though he made sure to keep it light and teasing as he gauged her. He heard truth in her voice and knew she really didn't but he was still working on getting her to at least trust him.

"Not even me?"

"To a point. I trust you as my boss but that's about where it stops." 

"Thank you for being honest." He said, making sure to lock eyes with her when he said it. She merely blushed and ducked into the couch with just her eyes peeking out. "I mean it little Maven, it's hard to trust anyone. And I've put you through the wringer so to speak, it would be a little weird if you trust me enough to put your life so completely in my hands this soon." 

"I do hope to earn that, though. Despite everything I did to you when you were Supervillain's prisoner..."

Maven remained silent, her eyes owl-like as they just watched him. He cleared his throat and focused back on dinner and the conversation they were having earlier about Maelstrom.

"So...this Maelstrom, you want her as my second?" Maven blinked her owl eyes before shaking her head.

"Not specifically her, just...someone with her skills. I wouldn't mind it if it was her, because she's familiar to me, but I'm still on the fence about what she wants. I never got to know her well enough to find out if she's like me and never wanted to be a hero at all or if she wants out of the game for good.. to be a civilian or what have you. That's a big important chunk."

Maven stretched and stood up from the couch as she continued on. "I just think she's a possibility is all. And her skills would fill in the need for a second in an army. Everyone liked her well enough when Leader wasn't around and she's smart enough to get the job done."

"No matter what?"

"Eh...she puts the team above all. If they are to injured or not present to finish the mission she will call it off and send everyone home to rest. She's a...well she's a firm believer in taking care of you're team and they will take care of you kind of thing."

"I see... and how does that benefit me?" He asked and she huffed in response and leaned forward on the counter with a teasing glint in her eye. 

"You're not exactly a people person."

They both laughed at that as the oven beeped to confirm it was preheated and ready to cook as he placed the chicken casserole he had made during their conversation inside and set the timer. 

"I have no problem with you...little Maven..." He trailed off shyly, hoping the color didn't show on his face as he felt the heat rise and hoped it was just the oven.

"That's because it's just the two of us and it's me." She waved dismissively. "Tell me, how would you handle a group of me's gathered all around this room waiting for orders?"

He knew his hesitating silence told her what she know. In reality he was remembering all the times he watched his father and the lessons he was given by both parents on how to lead a group. Well more like mafia family but "to-may-to" "to-mah-to" kind of thing. 

In truth, his parents raised him well in the criminal industry and how to find and lead a crew. He just has to do it is all and his little hero was not far off in her assessment of him not being a people person. Deimos much preferred being a loner with only his shadows for company.

Being responsible for anyone, especially a criminal family, was a huge risk and responsibility to head.

"Well, with the right second in command, one you trust to have your back at all times through the thick and thin...one that wouldn't betray you or you're goals and get the mission done, they can give the orders and command the gatherings." Maven continued on speaking while twirling a finger through her long hair in deep thought, taking his silent thinking as confirmation that he needed the advice. It was rather cute that she thought to look out for him in such a way.

"I have no problem giving orders little Maven, as you well remember. My parents trained me to lead, to take over the family business one day. I was a villain before the Academy ever got their hands on me." He elected to inform her.

"Welp, I guess there's no need to play this scenario game anymore if you already know what you want for your second and your future army." Maven couldn't but shiver a little at the dark glint in his eye when he spoke of his family. It was only a glimpse but she knew there was more to it. More to his past that he wasn't willing to share with her.

"Do you miss your old team?" He asked her after they had settled themselves back on the couch and turned the television on. The question caught her off guard at the sudden shift back to the earlier conversation. 

They were going back and forth between the two topics and normally it would bug her but seeing as they were such emotionally charged topics, and not just for her if she was reading him right, she was grateful this time.

"Honestly I'm just worried about Maelstrom. With Leader gone who knows who they let take over the team now. And Hero2 is just like Leader so they can go bye-bye for all I care but it's also why I'm worried about Maelstrom." 

Deimos smiled at the 'bye-bye' part. In truth he knew she would like demolish or drain the energy from Hero2 but the carefree way she talked about them concerned him. Those with healing abilities were naturally submissive in nature, as Maven showed distinctly since day 1. But her ability to drain was rearing it’s head and he was finding new sides to her than what he find when he initially watched her back at Team Hero.

"I...I want to save her..." She watched him give a nod as if he knew that was going to be her answer all along. Deimos just wanted her to hear it for herself.

"Is Maelstrom villain material or do you just want to save her?"

Maven could see the seriousness in his eyes, that she should not only answer carefully but honestly. 

"And how would saving her benefit you're boss?" She was aware he was separating himself by calling himself boss and Maven knew in her gut she was walking a thin line. 

Nothing would stop Deimos from achieving his goal and he pretty much admitted a few days ago to locking her back up in a cell somewhere and use her like a tool to do so. He may be gentle with her now but he was still a dangerous villain. 

But so was she now.

"Well...I'm not sure yet..." Maven frowned as her brain took over and she began thinking again trying to find a way to make it work for the both of them. "I was hoping she'd join up and take down the Academy for you but because I don't know her that well... I'm not sure if that's something she'd do. But she's the only one left I actually kinda sorta care about.”

Deimos didn't mention the contradiction that she wouldn't trust this Maelstrom but yet still be worried enough about her safety or whether or not the Hero would be team up material. 

He wondered if she knew how much she cared for the former teammate or if she was just trying to reason through her previous ties in an attempt to continue moving on.

Whatever the reason one fact remained clear if they were going to get answers.

They needed to pay this Maelstrom a visit and see what she had in mind about the city and her place in it before going forward and testing her.

He had doubts, lots of doubts, about recruiting Maelstrom and wondered if he could say no to his little hero after all. 

If their assessment of Maelstrom proved false and she betrayed them, hurt Maven in any way...He shook that thought away and looked down at Maven who was settled next to him on the couch, not quite touching but close enough to share heat without a blanket as he felt himself cave in.

"Alright." She looked up at him as he spoke.  "We'll pay you're Maelstrom a visit."

[echo-three-one]

Whatever It Takes

While Soap, France and the two hostages try to recover, Gary stands by for action. It's a waiting game before they make their next move. Can Gary's lungs handle the training?

Previous Chapter : Reunited

Chapter 6 to another story made by Ray (echo-three-one) Comments and Reviews appreciated! I hope you enjoy! Love you all ❤️

A Walk to Remember

Gary "Roach" Sanderson

Task Force 141

Task Force 141 - Briefing Room

Gary was able to share his raccoon story, but he wasn't contented. He actually wanted a certain someone to listen to it. He wanted to see her smile. He knew their time together was short but he grew curious about the blonde girl. He felt concern, almost guilty that he triggered her massive headache. He wanted to apologize, but since then she's still unconscious. Guess he'll have to wait.

"The concern is that Augustus' squad had been forcibly and convincingly recruiting troops from a local border militia and informants reported that they have siezed their small village camp." The caterpillar-moustached general briefed, gaining murmurs from the rest of the squad.

"We'll be sending Alex tomorrow to negotiate with the squad and if he's successful. We could formally assist them and take back their base, crippling Augustus forces. Gathering intel on the village is a bonus." he added, making everyone else nod. Gary looked determined to help out, and for now all he could to is to train more and have faith in Alex's skills.

"That's odd." Ghost nudged from beside him.

"Yeah?" he replied quickly.

"I know that face… Something's bothering the bug. Come on. Spill." he whispered. Ghost may look cold and distant at one glance but he tries hard to show concern, especially for Roach, who has been there to absorb his problems ever since they met.

"It's the mission." Gary lied and he was not convincing at that.

"Sod off mate. I can tell you're lying. Is it the girl? It's always about the girl." he teased. Gary found himself speechless as he puffed his cheeks.

"Yeah. We'll you're bothered about France too. And threatened about how close they are with Soap." he whispered, Ghost fell silent and stopped bugging him. Gary wanted to quickly apologize for hitting a nerve, but he turned his focus to Shepherd.

"That's about all of it for today. I want all available squad members at the training areas now. We're not going to let that same blunder happen again." he scolded as everyone silently left. Ghost walked behind Gary, his quiet demeanor was normal but somewhat odd.

"You think she's interested in him? They used to fight a lot." he muttered and Gary turned to him.

"Look mate, I have no idea what's going on around them. They just met, and I'm no love doctor but if you're really into her then take small steps. Get to know her, talk to her, those kind of things. Then you'll finally get the answer you're looking for." Roach advised and Ghost actually showed agreement by nodding as they continue to the training room.

Task Force 141 - Jogging Oval

THE NEXT DAY

It's the fourth time that Roach lost to Ghost on a one lap sprint. A sign that he still has a lot of lung endurance exercises to do and he's still a long way to go to master holding a sniper rifle. He looked down, hands on his knees and sweat dropped from his forehead as he panted heavily.

"Roach! You okay?" a familiar scottish voice called from nearby. He looked and saw Samantha, Maxine, France and Soap together early in the morning. Samantha was pushing Maxine's wheelchair while France pushed Soap's. It looked like he still can't get up properly yet and might not make it on the next mission. His eyes now turned to Maxine who was looking at Samantha, laughing at something. Her smile brought happiness to Roach's face and he felt like he could run another lap.

"I'm fine." Gary replied with a thumbs up, jogging toward them, taking France's spot.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Oh. Nowhere. The nurse said we could use a little sunshine." Soap replied and the rest of them nodded. Maxine turned to Gary and smiled.

"You. You helped me back there. Eased the pain from the sprain. What's your name?" she asked. Gary took the time to let her voice fill his mind.

"Gary." he replied.

"Thank you Gary." she smiled and turned back to Samantha, resuming their conversation. France quickly nudged him to which he winced in pain.

"Whatever you're thinking, it goes through me first. I'm her sister after all." she warned, Gary pretended to look confused but there was no use hiding to a woman. They could sense intentions a mile away. 

"Does she um… remember you?" Gary asked. France's face shifted from threatening to sad.

"Not really." She sighed. "But she will recover and recognize me someday." 

"What happened to his leg? Hey hey Is that Alex?! Samantha it's Alex! Heyyy Pretty boy! Over here!" Maxine excitedly called him. He was walking to the hangar with his backpack and gym bag, looking focused. Everyone else were confused as to how Maxine knew Alex and Gary started to feel odd about it.

"Hey… um… you." Alex greeted awkwardly, smiling at the group.

"Alex. This is Samantha over here. I remember you looking for him at the bar. You know, a childhood friend you want to reconnect with?" She excitedly winked as he looked at Samantha. Gary could sense a little something going on between the two.

"Max, I don't know no Alex from my childhood…" Samantha muttered and Maxine frowned. This wasn't the kind of reunion she expected. It was a shame that that was the last thing she could remember.

"Yeah. I think you may have mistaken me or something. But I did look for her, returned a pendant she dropped back then." Alex replied and ran back to the airstrip.

"I swear I remember him correctly. I know full well which memories hurt me." Maxine whispered to herself as Samantha rubbed her back.

"He does look familiar. But then again I saw him back then and mistook him as a stalker. I mean, look at those tattooes. Turns out he's just there to return my pendant. It's a huge coincidence he works here though. Like one in a million." she mused as they quietly watched him walk away.

Gary started pushing Soap and the rest followed. He was happy Maxine's all peppy and well, but he can't help but feel jealous about the way she reacted upon seeing Alex. He wished she'd do the same for him. But who was he for her? Nothing but a random stranger.

"Huh?" Maxine asked and Samantha just nodded, making her quiet and realize things. Soap looked at Roach and they just exchanged weird glances and shrugged. Mentally noting that they'll have to talk to Alex about this after the mission.

~

"So, any new news?" Ghost stood by Gary as he gulped down a bottle of water.

"Not really. Except from the fact that Maxine claims to know Alex and Samantha knows Alex. And also Maxine is Francine's sister?!" Gary exhaled leaving Ghost in a momentary confusion.

"Wai.wai wait.. For real?!" he asked. Gary downed another bottle and nodded.

"Yeah. When briefing told us Alex was somehow connected, he was actually all over the place. I want answers from him." 

"Yeah. So where is he?" 

"He's already on his way back to Germany. Let's hope he convinces a whole army to help us out." Gary wondered as Ghost nudged him back to the gym. 

"Let's train that lungs of yours again."

All Gary could do was groan in  frustration as he followed Ghost to the gym.

"Man, Nero's a mysterious guy huh. Did you know Alex helped catch the CIA Mole he's working with. The one that supplied him the serum that's behind all of this." Gary overheard two random soldiers at the gym discuss. He couldn't help but stop whatever he was doing and asked them for more details.

"They already publicized the report on the website. They're actually desperate for any Nero-like activity to report to them immediately." one of them informed, Gary turned to Ghost and they both nodded, quickly running to the Base's library.

"Here it is. Alex's report." Gary muttered as Ghost peeked beside him, they slowly scrolled across pages of information written by Alex himself. He didn't hide anything from them, except from thr fact that they're after her because she had memories of an IP Address. Then further through the report they concluded that they weren't successful in extracting it. Then at the end of the file was a footnote, regarding Samantha's state. It read:

Due to a special favor promised by Samantha's father, he has authorize to apply an MK Ultra procedure to her, whose main intention is to Alter her memories of the IP Address along with the events that happened prior to kidnapping.

"So that's why she didn't know Alex." Gary realized.

"Hence the responses earlier." Ghost added.

"Maxine wasn't mentioned in this footnote this means her memories weren't rewritten." Gary spleculated. Ghost scratched his head in confusion.

"This whole thing is nuts." Was all Ghost could say.

Task Force 141 - Quarters

2000H

"Same routine tommorow, okay?" Ghost grinned and it made Gary groan.

"Fine. My lungs are going to hate you for eternity, Simon." he complained and the trainer just chuckled.

"We didn't have the chance to talk to Soap today. He surely has a lot of new information about the two." 

"Nah. More like more information on France." Ghost retorted fake chuckling.

"If he's ever in the competition, I can judge that he's one step ahead." Gary remarked, attempting to tease Ghost who was already leaning away from him.

"Rest up, Bug. Another big day tomorrow." he muttered, almost angry.

"Yeah. Big day."

Next Chapter : Just Like Old Times

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@beemybee

@ricinbach

[imaginetonyandbucky]

Dead Man’s Eyes Ch. 3

Link to AO3 by @dracusfyre

Three days after Bucky’s return, he and Tony had ventured out of the compound for fresh air, taking a walk through the quaint downtown shops of the nearest town. Bucky had ducked into the secondhand bookstore and coffee shop for a moment while Tony held their place an outdoor table when Natasha sat down across from him. 

“Hey,” Tony blinked. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Small town,” she said with a quirk of her mouth. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” Tony said honestly. “Things with Steve are, you know,” he held out a hand and gestured so-so. “But other than that…” His eyes traveled inside the glass window of the bookstore to where Bucky was browsing the new arrivals section. “I mean, Bucky’s back. What else needs to be said?”

“And everything is going well with him?”

“Yeah, of course.” Tony raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t it?”

“He went through a lot in the past two weeks, I’m just making sure he seems okay to you.”

Tony stared at her for a moment, eyes narrowed, then laced his fingers together and rested them on the cheap wrought iron table. “Cut the shit, Natasha.”

“Fine.” She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table as well. “Are you sure that the Bucky that came back is the same Bucky that left?”

Tony’s jaw dropped, stunned. That was not what he was expecting. “How - how can you even ask that?” He said finally. “You’ve seen him, you’ve talked to him. What are you trying to say?”

“The Winter Soldier wasn’t always a sniper, Tony. He was trained, just like I was, to put on a persona to get close to our target, to gain their trust. If he was ordered to  act  like Bucky Barnes to get close to you, no one would know how to do it better.”

“That is ridiculous,” Tony spat. “I would know if he was - was faking. Besides if he was-was still...” Tony gestured expressively rather than say the words the Winter Soldier. "Then why didn't he kill me when he had the chance?"

"If he wasn't, why didn't he save you when he had the chance?" Natasha countered. "Why did he walk away, and not come back for another week?"

Tony actually had an answer to that. "He left to protect me, and he was gone for so long because he was destroying all the facilities where they'd held him during those three days, especially the one with the chair," Tony said. "Come on, Natasha, it's not like I didn't ask."

"Do you have proof?"

"I don't need proof!"

Natasha stood and put her hands in the pockets of her jacket. Her eyes flickered to where Bucky was still inside buying coffee. "Believe me, I hope for all of our sakes that you are right."

“Then why would you even say anything?”

“Because we’ve both been burned before for trusting the wrong people,” she said. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…” She shrugged and looked away for a moment. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. But if I don’t warn you, and the worst happens, then that’s on me, right? And I don’t think I could live with that.” Then she walked away, leaving Tony staring at her back in disbelief.

                                                   ------------

“You would not believe what Natasha said to me today,” Tony said, throwing his clothes with unnecessary force into the hamper as he undressed, still angry hours later.

“What?” Bucky set his book down on his chest and sat up straighter in bed, punching the pillows to support his back. “More stuff about Steve?”

That reminder made him even madder. “I don’t even want to talk about it,” Tony scowled. He fell face first into bed, trying to shed his bad mood. He felt Bucky stroke a hand down his back, which made him realize how gross and sweaty he still was. “I’m going to take a shower, hopefully that will help.”  He levered himself back off the bed, and saw Bucky watching him.

“Shall I join you?” Bucky said, waggling his eyebrows and smiling.

Tony leaned over and gave him a kiss. “Nah, I’ll be quick.” He had hoped that the shower would help him relax, but instead Natasha’s words just played on repeat, like a song he couldn’t get out of his head.  Same Bucky that left.  Both been burned before.  “I would know,” he muttered to himself, sticking his face under the spray like it could physically wash away his thoughts. 

Like you knew with Stane?

Tony’s hands stilled at the thought. “It’s not the same,” he argued with himself. “I see Bucky every day. No one could fake it for that long.” Natasha did, his traitorous brain pointed out. All day, for weeks. “But I wasn’t sleeping with her!”

“Tony, are you talking to me?” Bucky called out through the door.

“No,” Tony called back. He banged his head against the tile of the shower, trying to knock some sense into himself. “Sorry, just talking to myself.” 

“Alright.”

As Bucky moved away from the door, Tony said, “JARVIS, gimme some music,” and turned up the volume loud enough to drown out his thoughts. When he came out of the shower, towelling his hair dry, he saw Bucky reading one of his old science fiction novels with the garish cover and the scene looked so normal that Tony immediately felt like an idiot for his paranoia. When he climbed into bed he lay diagonally so he could put his head in Bucky’s lap. Bucky’s had immediately began carding through his wet hair, like it always did, and Tony smiled. “How are you feeling?” He asked after a few minutes, twisting so he could see Bucky’s face. 

“About as well as you would expect,” Bucky said with a humorless quirk of his mouth, meeting Tony’s eyes over the top of his book. “Being back with you is the only thing keeping me sane, but sometimes...well, you know.”

“Yeah,” Tony said with a silent exhale, turning his head again so Bucky could keep stroke his head. Memories of being trapped in the dark with the dead Hydra agents, wondering if there were others, wondering if he was going to ever see Bucky again, wondering if he was going to die there in his suit buried in the rubble of a Hydra base, rose unbidden in his thoughts.  “I know.” He reached up and squeezed Bucky's hand for a moment, then grabbed his tablet to do some work before bed.

 That night, Tony woke up in a sweat from a dream that dissipated upon waking, leaving behind just a vague feeling of disquiet. He rolled over and realized Bucky’s side of the bed was cold. “Bucky?” He called out softly, climbing out of bed and going to the bathroom before searching their suite. He expected to find him in the living room watching TV or reading his book, like he usually did when he couldn’t sleep. Instead, the rooms were dark and empty. “JARVIS, where’s Bucky?”

“He is currently in the garage, sir. He appears to be double-checking the security,” JARVIS said. “I assured him that the building was secure, but he said he needed to check for his peace of mind.”

“Oh.” Bucky hadn’t done that in years. “Thanks, J.” Tony hesitated in the living room for a moment before returning to bed. But of course, now he couldn’t sleep.  We will finally get our hands on an arc reactor,  one of the Hydra agents had said. “JARVIS, did Bucky - no, never mind.” If Bucky was Hydra and was here for Tony’s tech, he could have just killed Tony there in the rubble and taken it, no need for all of this espionage. He also had free access to Tony’s lab, so he could just steal it. Fuck Natasha for putting these thoughts in his head, anyway.

With a sigh, he gave up on sleep for the night and reached for his tablet; might as well get some work done if he wasn’t sleeping anyway. But his tablet wasn’t on his nightstand, in the drawer, or next to the bed. Which was weird, because he had been working on it before he fell asleep. “JARVIS, where’s my tablet?”

“Next to the couch, sir.”

As Tony climbed out of bed to get it, he told himself that Bucky had set it there without thinking as he got ready to go to sleep; it’s not like Bucky could access the tablet anyway, it was retina locked, he reminded himself. As he picked it up, he tapped it against one palm thoughtfully. Unless...unless he had fallen asleep with it unlocked. After all, the arc reactor was small potatoes compared to what he’d been working on for the Avengers and SHIELD, all of which were on JARVIS’s servers. “Stop it, Tony,” he said into the dark room. “You’re losing your goddamn mind.”

“Join the club,” Bucky’s voice said from the darkness, making Tony jump. He came up behind Tony, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his chest into Tony’s back. Tony exhaled and relaxed against his warmth. “Bad dream? Is that what’s making you lose your mind?”

“Pretty much,” Tony said honestly. He turned in Bucky’s arms so he could loop them around Bucky’s neck; in the dark, the arc reactor’s light cast Bucky’s eyes into deep shadow, giving Tony a chill. He pushed the feeling away and buried his fingers in the air at the nape of Bucky's neck. “You?”

“Yeah. C’mon, let’s go back to bed.” Bucky slid his hands down Tony’s back and squeezed his ass, then lifted him up and wrapped Tony’s legs around his waist like he was light as a feather. "I'm sure we can figure out something to take our minds off of it."

 The next morning, Tony was frowning in concentration at the exploded diagram of a next generation propulsion system out of Wakanda when a cup of coffee, still steaming, appeared in his field of view. “Oh, thanks.” Tony sat up straight and took it, wrapping his hands around it gratefully. 

“Whatcha working on?” Bucky asked as he came around the work table, eyeing the bright blue hologram with interest.

“Propulsion system,” Tony said dismissively, ignoring the unfair impulse to close down the plans as Bucky studied them. “What are you up to?” He asked as he took a sip of coffee, then paused, making a funny face before he swallowed.

“I’m heading to the range with Clint later. What’s wrong?” 

Tony was staring down into his coffee, eyes narrowed. “Did you put soy milk in here?”

“Maybe?” Bucky frowned. “I guess I wasn’t paying attention. You like, uh-”

“Almond milk,” Tony supplied, when Bucky hesitated.  

“Right, almond milk,” Bucky said. “I’ll go make you a fresh cup.” He reached for the mug but Tony waved him away and set the cup to the side.

“It’s fine,” Tony said with a smile. “I’ll just make another pot down here so I don’t have to go up to the kitchen for refills.”

“Are you sure?” When Tony nodded, Bucky leaned in for a kiss and stroked his jaw as he pulled away. “I’m sorry, I’ll remember next time.”

Tony held his smile until the lab door closed behind Bucky. He let out a breath and raked his fingers through his hair before covering his mouth with one hand, staring sightlessly at the propulsion plans. “It’s just fucking coffee,” he said out loud.  

                                                 ---------

He held out for four days before he broke. Nervously wiping his palms on his pants, Tony stared at the safe built into the concrete wall of his lab, pulse pounding. He couldn’t believe he was doing this; usually the thought of reading the red book make him feel like he needed a shower, but he had to  know.  If there was any information about what Bucky could and couldn’t remember from one mission to another, even between mind wipes, or what, exactly, the trigger words did, Tony had to know. Natasha’s words were a parasite invading his thoughts, destroying his focus and poisoning his time with Bucky. Last time, he had only read the parts he’d had to in order to do what Bucky asked, but this time he was going to read the damn thing cover to cover even though he would hate himself the whole time. He would find out that Bucky was fine, everything was fine, and all this shit Tony kept noticing - inconsistencies, forgetfulness, the minute hesitations - was just the product of a paranoid mind. 

 Two and a half hours later, he closed the red book and rested his head in his hands. He'd found none of the answers he'd wanted, only more questions. “JARVIS, open a surveillance file,” Tony said eventually, the words bitter as bile on his tongue.  “Target, James Buchannan Barnes.” 

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

This case will be going to the grand jury

Okay

So what a grand jury does is determine via a jury panel of 12 or the local dictated amount, sometimes it is different -- in a closed private setting, if there is enough evidence for a probable cause to arrest the people for the crimes

Now I am told by Tree that this man whom was murdered was kidnapping for human trafficking and that is why he was killed.

Now I'm all about being anti racial crimes and modern lynching due to skin color

However SMS will show what he had done just hours before to these men. Where they all had been and what led up to the death of this man.

This is in February. I said and I said we would kill human traffickers.

This is a result of that statement

I wish it wasn't a black man. I do. I love black people all day long but we can't control what they do or do not do.

Due to the racial profiling and the claims that black are arrested unfairly we do have a higher rate of white people to do these killings.

This is to protect black people.

Killing one black kidnapper saves thousands and millions of African Kings, Queens, Princesses and Princes that will trust a black man to not kidnap them.

So I hope you do understand and I hope that the truth is shown and the truth is understood and justice is preserved in the grand jury

Had it been a group of black men killing one black guy it would been looked over as a gang thing. And ee don't want that either

So this video was purposely leaked to allow us to explain the choice of skin color that we use -- predominantly white (light) to protect Mexicans (Latino, Hispanic, Spanish) and African Americans

Because of white privilege.

It was expected and yet not hoped that this gossip would have happened. It shows the extreme damage in our communities.

And while this entire article is hurtful (and untrue) it does represent what police do.

I couldn't read all the words, they were so painful. Here we are trying all we can to protect innocent African-American and Latinx and still the screaming of indecency is arisen.

And yet we all still see the point. The Civil War was so long gone, no one who fought in it is still living. Yet daily it is still fought.

While y'all are not following instinct extremely close...

Y'all do recognize he was murdered ... He was murdered jogging ... And he was murdered for who he was ... But he was simply not just black. He was also a human trafficker.

Yes, my friends and my foes, black human traffic, too. Just like they deal drugs. Its "good" money meaning it is a lot.

I don't think I've called out a black person yet and this is the first. Just because I hadn't said didn't mean it ain't true

I've called out white people only. One girl and many men. Yet the Chinese and Asians have been attacked but I hadn't singled out one single Asian. Only white men (at that time it had began in Connecticut)

Yes yes yes Mexicans, Blacks, Whites, Native Americans they all human traffic

Native Americans are notorious for human trafficking. Y'all did not know that but they are. Agent Orange is 39% Native American. "Well they did it to us"

So you know it fucking hurts and you don't do it to other people, ass holes. But no. It makes them feel justified and right. They're not. They're shameful.

So this article is full of gossip and untrue words strung together to create bull shit.

I wish it was 3 innocent and good black man on one white kidnapper.... However the facts remain it was one African American Kidnapper that used people for humam trafficking

I am incorrect -- I have called out two African American Women for human trafficking --- Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.

But this is the first male.

I also posted a video of actors that were all 100% human trafficking. And some were African American.

Now im going to tell you about Zulululu because of the high deaths of African Americans in this COVID crisis

Zulululu kill humans and then they take over their bodies. Okay.

So Zulululu are racist and ass holes. They are rapists. They have no respect for women. They male chauvinist pigs. They're disgusting.

So unfortunately I do believe that the Zulululu (and the other 3 planets as well) have already killed these Africans and then took over their bodies.

They did it to Michael Jackson. Alex Laughlin when he was Gaberial. Matt Hagan was my twin brother and he's been taken over by the alien in the film "White Boy Rick" that was Rick. He killed himself in jail to kill my brother to take over his body...

It makes me very sad. I want to cry.

Denise was killed and taken over by an alien. So the Zulululu uses my aunt's actual human body. Same with Nathaniel.

So it is very horrific.

So this huge amount of African Americans dying... Im sorry y'all but they ain't African Americans, baby. They ain't. Baby. They been dead a long time. And I am so sorry, i truly am.

That is why we have DNA4U. It dignifies your actual child or mom or aunt or uncle as alien or not. As human souls or some alien mouth breathing fool.

It is why all human bodies have COVID-19.

Because if you, my sista, get killed by an alien then the antibody "melts" caused by the alien soul and baby girl you ain't gotta be dead watching your body walk around no more. It's gonna die. And it's gonna die bad and it's gonna suffer. And you getta watch that alien panic.

So as soon as they alien soul enters the COVID activation occurs, your soul removing the antibody with you. Or thinking the body keeps it then the alien melts it. However you wanna look at it. IDC. However it occurs, idc. However its mutated in each individual idc. The mother fuckers ain't doing this shit no more.

So baby. Yeah. Y'all African American do have a 29% higher rate of Alien body take overs than the rest of the races. Next is Asian. Then Scottish, German, French, Polish, Swedish then general White from Europe.

Unfortunately they been trying to find me. Not knowing where i will pop up next, they infiltrate places I've been and have made a good life for myself.

Egypt, Outer Mongolia, Scottland as Queen Anne in the 1600s, I've been Joan of Arc, Cleopatra y'all know... So fucking many!

And they keep trying to find me to mate with me. But I can't. I can only produce children with my soulmate. Just like every other single human. Just like DNA4U proves.

Just like Zulululu can't even have children.

I can only mate with my soulmate

And it fucking kills me because they killed zillions and more than zillion of Chinese babies looking for me. And I never was born in China again. Because it was too dangerous.

I was never born in Africa again, it was too dangerous.

I was born in Detroit.. I was born in small town Alabama in a trailer park.

I was born in San Francisco. In London. In France. I've lived poor. Rich. Moderate. I've hidden quite successfully.

And yet... They destroy my people even still ...

So enter COVID 19 which is destroying my healthcare workers with PTSD. Because I don't get a chance to explain

Because the aliens keep getting in my way. Alex Laughlin. A fake Brian. Agent Orange. Eric Trump is always breathing down my neck. Denise. Nathaniel.

Its so fucking annoying.

And in my daily fights and struggles, my people are hurting.

So finally, a man with two stumps for legs because he deals with too many aliens for his nurse care, live in, and his soulmate is in jail for weed trafficking. I've known him off and on for 20 years. He posts a real human that is upset. I can see shes human. I just wanna hug her and take away all her pain. And Joey he says he just wants one miracle. He got it.

Finally the air cleared and I was able to break out and activate the healthcare substitute website and the mental health website especially for nurses and doctors to give them military training on acceptance of death which they get paid to learn. To encourage them to keep on trying. Keep reading, keep watching videos and keep caring about themselves and their mental health care.

For some it won't work. For some it just won't penetrate their brain. They can't hear it yet, they're not ready. But it will absorb if they let it. Each little particle of information that absorbs into their soul is just like that woman said -- it let's them be that one that is there for them because no one else is.

She's so beautiful. I mean shes pretty. She ain't painful to look at. But her words i just got goose bumps. Her beauty, "i wanna quit, but then they ain't got no one but me"

Girl. Y'all. I tell you. Every day. That's me.

I quit hundreds of times. "I fucking quit!! Fuck y'all!" Two days later I'm back at it. I can't stop.

Its that Orphan in me. It's that Queen in me, that Goddess of Earth.

At any rate. We're gonna stop this shit.

Racism. Its gonna stop.

Unfortunately COVID deaths of African Americans will not stop.

We have tried everything. Tricking a switch. "Okay alien just jump out and let her back in her body because she forgot something in there and she needs to get it" next thing we know its another car wreck and girl is dead and kicked out.

Exorcisms.

The Exorcist. That Horror film. All real.

We have tried it all m

And that is why we are in this horrific mess.

Luckily we got all kinds of shit planned!! Surprises around every corner and we are gonna get this done

We're gonna save Humanity, Ecology and the Earth itself.

We are gonna kill the souls of those from those four planets. Now it's gonna take time and its not gonns be fun.

But i got lawyers for the people that have been beat by cops finally assigned today! Yay!.

More than half of the 18,000 cops that are beating people for no reason have been killed today. Thank God for that and Tree of course and the snipers, Thank you.

And so this man in this article, unfortunately was ordered to die by me.

He was ordered to be killed by white people.

I don't want black men or Latino to be imprisoned for serving justice. White privilege is real.

All four planets for whatever reason decided to torture and bully and pick on African Americans.

Maybe because I'm white now... But i have to be white.. It's too dangerous to be black. Come on.. Yeah I used to black as Hell. But shit, a girl cant even walk down the street without being raped. Black girls are raped 4 times more than white. Asian girls are raped 6 times more often. 6 times! And they been killing most of them!!! So you know you gotta count that like every single Asian girl has been raped at least once.

They don't have it easy y'all! Stop picking on them!!!

Any way So there is a racial thing to the COVID but it's definitely not a human thing that is targeting them.

Y'all. Our African have already been killed and aliens are just walking around in their bodies.

So y'all don't cry no more.

Be mad.

Realize what's going on.

Alright so im telling you our families are dead and murdered.

Solution? Yes there is, in time.

We will ghost them back to life, creating bodies out of thin air for their spirits, their souls that exist.

Okay so i remember Alex Laughlin as Gaberial.... But Gaberial is Hispanic... And Alex looks French. So when the alien does take over it alters the physical characteristics of the original body.... But only slightly...

So some will request a dramatic overhaul of their appearance....

Okay say... Like Denise.... If Denise the real one looks too similar to the alien compound.... And we all hate her... Its simple to change the way she looks so that we don't ever see the old alien Denise when we look at the real Denise.

So she's been gone over 30 years..,

Gaberial 20

So its just like the changes that someone would make while growing up or growing old -- that is the way we look at it.

So i remember Gaberial as he was... And so he will change as he was only about 13 when his body was overtaken... So easy for him to have a new grown up self. Also same as easy to have him as original.

It all depends on the person and who did the alien take over and all that complicated stuff

So they analyze the complicated and we make it simple for compression of the new or old face.

And we allow it a choice and we say it is and it is respected and the person is loved.

Because that is humanity.

Again i apologize for the pain due to racism. The article does spell out the past and current situation especially with cops Here lately.

I was and still am totally with the Eric, "i can't Breathe" movement which ended in murder..

And that is why i am so angry.

But again. Please understand the justification of this killing and the reason we are using white privilege is to protect those that do not have white privilege.

We seize the opportunity. We don't make the opportunity. We use it.

Do please forgive me for doing so. I am only trying to protect the few good ones we have left because we all love you and we need you all safe!

I don't want yall in jail for a second for trying to save the world.