章節 154: C153 Winter Soldier Awakens

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After the battle, the room fell silent, the only sounds were the faint hum of the cooling machinery and the soft clatter of debris settling.

Peter stood amidst the wreckage of the feral Transformers, deactivating his lightsaber and storing it on his hip.

Peggy approached him, her expression a mix of relief and concern. "Peter, are you alright?"

Peter nodded, though his mind was still racing with thoughts about the AllSpark. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Peggy sighed, surveying the ruined robots around her. "I should have warned you," she said. "The Cube has a history of turning technology into robots. We've been experimenting with it in controlled settings, always keeping them contained because they emerge hostile, like wild animals."

Peter already knew this from the Transformers movies, though he still nodded along, feigning surprise. "I see. That makes sense. They were like rabid animals..."

Peggy continued, her tone serious. "We've been able to harness some of the Cube's power for technological advancements, but the transformations are unpredictable. Every time we've tried, the results were the same. Hostile sentient machines."

Peter listened, his thoughts drifting to the possibilities the AllSpark held. He knew it could do much more than just create robots. It had the potential to repair, upgrade, and modify Cybertronian machinery as well.

He remembered the Decepticons using just a shard of the AllSpark to revive Megatron after he died in the first movie.

But beyond that, Peter was uncertain of its full capabilities. He needed to experiment with it, to understand its power and learn how to control it without causing any more accidents.

"I think most of my free time will be spent studying this Cube now," Peter said thoughtfully, holding the AllSpark between his fingers.

"Just be careful, Peter," Peggy warned. "Despite all our efforts over the years, there's still so much we don't know about it."

Peter gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll be cautious."

As Peter looked at the dice-sized AllSpark between his fingers, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. This artifact held immense power, and with the right understanding and control, it could change everything. He just needed to unlock its secrets.

"Alright, let's clean this mess up," Peggy said, turning to the guards. "Secure the area and make sure none of these parts are left lying around."

The guards nodded and began their work, "…"

Peter glanced at Peggy, who was coordinating the cleanup. "Thanks for holding up your end of the bargain. I know your bosses probably weren't happy with you…"

"I always keep my word." Peggy gave him a small smile. "Besides, you don't have to worry about me. It'll take more than a few angry politicians to rattle Peggy Carter. I've dealt with far worse."

With a nod, Peter left the room, his mind already racing with plans and ideas for the AllSpark. He possessed a powerful artifact—not the type he had expected, but a fascinating and potent one nonetheless.

…

Later that day, Peter returned to the Red Room alongside Peggy. The AllSpark, now a small cube, hung from his neck by a thin wire rope he found in Sector 7 and fashioned into a makeshift necklace. He wanted to keep it close and secure, given its new compact size, which made it easy to lose.

When he left Sector 7, the scientists offered to give him a lead case to hide the AllSpark's energy signature, but after running a few scans, they discovered that the AllSpark was no longer leaking any detectable energy.

Peter guessed that this change was due to its smaller size, though he wasn't entirely sure.

Naturally, before leaving, Peter requested a tour of Sector 7, feigning curiosity. In truth, he was hoping to find Megatron, just as depicted in the movies. However, much to his disappointment, Sector 7 held no frozen Transformers—only the Cube, which he took with him, rendering the facility rather pointless.

'Does that mean Megatron hasn't found the cubes location yet?' Peter wondered.

As the helicopter landed in the hangar and they disembarked, their footsteps echoing in the vast space, they were immediately greeted by Fury and Coulson, who stood waiting with serious expressions.

"Director Carter, Peter," Fury greeted them, his tone brisk and efficient.

Peggy nodded, her gaze sharp. "What is it?"

Coulson stepped forward. "Mr. Barnes is awake."

The words sent a jolt through Peggy. She picked up her pace, her urgency clear. "Lead the way."

Although Peter was eager to start experimenting with the AllSpark, he didn't want to miss out on this development either. He followed closely behind Peggy, his curiosity piqued.

…

Fury and Coulson led Peggy and Peter through the corridors of the Red Room, heading toward the prison. As they walked, they passed various cells containing Kree and Hydra prisoners, their eyes following the group with a mix of curiosity, hostility, and resentment.

Fury kept his stride steady as he explained the situation. "He's been trying to escape ever since he woke up a few hours ago. We had to sedate him initially, but when he came to, he seemed to realize that it was pointless and has been non-responsive since."

Coulson added, his tone concerned. "We tried giving him food, but he won't eat. He's been completely shut down."

As they arrived at the back of the prison, they reached a heavily secured cell. Inside, Bucky Barnes stood, his metal arm removed, leaving him with only one arm. He had a blank look on his face, but as he saw them arrive, his eyes narrowed, treating them with silent hostility.

Peggy stepped forward, her voice soft but firm. "Bucky, it's me, Peggy Carter. Do you remember me?"

Bucky's gaze remained cold and unresponsive. He didn't react to the name "Bucky," his eyes showing no recognition.

Peggy's heart sank, but she pressed on, hoping to break through to him. "James Buchanan Barnes," she said, using his full name. "You were a Sergeant in the United States Army. You fought alongside Captain America during World War II."

There was no change in his expression, no flicker of recognition. "…"

"You were part of the Howling Commandos. We fought Hydra together," Peggy continued, her voice wavering slightly. "You were captured by Hydra, but we thought you had died."

Bucky remained silent, his eyes hardening further. "…"

Peggy frowned, a mixture of frustration and sadness in her eyes. "If Steve were here... he'd be able to make you remember..."

At the mention of Steve, a faint reaction crossed Bucky's face. His frown deepened, and there was a brief flicker of something in his eyes, though it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared.

Catching his slip, Peggy seized on the moment. "Do you remember Steve? Steve Rogers? The two of you grew up together. He was your best friend."

Bucky's frown grew more pronounced, and though no clear memories surfaced, the name "Steve" seemed to stir some familiarity within him.

Seeing the slight change in his demeanor, Peggy felt a glimmer of hope. "Steve was like a brother to you, Bucky. You fought together, you looked out for each other. He was heartbroken when you fell from that train."

Bucky's eyes seemed to soften just a fraction, though he still didn't speak.

Peggy stepped closer to the cell, her voice gentle but determined. "I don't know what Hydra did to you, but I promise you, we'll help you remember. We'll help you get back what they took from you."

There was a long silence, the weight of her words hanging in the air. Bucky's expression remained guarded, but the slight shift in his demeanor gave Peggy a sliver of hope.

"I'll do whatever it takes to help you," Peggy vowed. "You have my word."

"…" Bucky remained silent, but Peggy sensed a change in the way he looked at her.

"Can you do just one thing for me?" she asked, her plea met with a wary glance. "Please, just eat. Steve would kill me if you starved yourself in this prison. Just eat, okay? I promise it's not poisoned."

"?" Bucky glanced down at the untouched tray of food delivered earlier in the day, suspicion written across his face.

"I'll leave you to eat in peace," Peggy said, giving him a meaningful look. "It was good seeing you again, Bucky." She then turned and walked away with Peter, Fury, and Coulson.

…

Back in his cell, Bucky eyed the tray of food warily. He felt a deep-seated mistrust and confusion, but Peggy's words had struck a chord.

Hesitantly, he reached out and picked up a piece of bread. After staring at it for a moment, he took a small bite and chewed slowly, as if testing for poison, but found none.

As he ate, a faint glimmer of something familiar stirred within him. It wasn't much, but it was a start…

————

As they exited the prison, the heavy door closing behind them with a solid thud, Peggy's resolve hardened. She turned to Fury and Coulson, her voice filled with determination. "I'll contact Professor Xavier immediately. If anyone can help Bucky regain his memories, it's him."

Fury nodded in agreement. "It's a good plan. His help has been invaluable thus far."

Peggy allowed herself a small, bittersweet smile. "The Bucky I knew never knew how to shut his mouth. Now he won't even open it to eat. We need to fix him..."

Peter, standing nearby, nodded. "Good idea. Although I haven't met Bucky before all of this, it's obvious they messed with his head. Keep me updated on his progress. I'll help where I can."

Peggy met his eyes, grateful for his support. "I will. And thank you, Peter. For everything."

Peter gave a reassuring smile. "No problem," he said with a shrug. "Anyway, if you need me, I'll be experimenting with the Cube in the meantime."

With a final nod, Peter turned and walked off, leaving Peggy to her work…

…

As Peter walked through the corridors of the Red Room, his mind raced with plans and possibilities. His fingers absently played with the AllSpark, which hung from his neck. The small, dice-like cube felt warm as if it were alive…

Lost in thought, Peter almost didn't notice Tony approaching from the opposite direction, his arms filled with various supplies: metals, wires, and other materials presumably for his Iron Man suit, which he had been tirelessly working on since the Kree invasion.

Spotting Tony, Peter smirked and quickened his pace. As he reached him, he smoothly draped an arm over Tony's shoulder, turning him around and guiding him in the direction he was heading.

"Huh?!" Tony grunted in surprise.

"Tony, you're just the person I needed to see," Peter said, his tone light and playful.

Tony groaned, struggling to keep hold of his materials without dropping anything. "What? What do you want? I'm busy."

Peter grinned, unfazed by Tony's gruff demeanor. "You see, you were so good at stalking me that I thought you could help me find someone."

Tony scoffed, his brow furrowing in annoyance. "I am not a stalker—"

Peter stopped walking and turned to face Tony, his eyes locking onto Tony's with a look that clearly said, 'Really?'

Tony hesitated, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his features. He sighed, adjusting his grip on the supplies. "Alright, alright. Who are you looking for?"

Peter's smile widened, pleased with the turn of events. "I need you to find someone named Sam Witwicky…"

A/N: 1943 words :)

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