Music to listen to during this chapter;

Gesaffelstein - Hate Or Glory

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T'Challa and I look at each other. Apprehension is clear on my face. I'm not exactly sure what's going on and I'm sure T'Challa is feeling the same. I'm tempted to get up and poke my head out of the office and ask what's going on. However, before I can make up my mind on a plan of action I see Steve and Sam take off out of the glass-walled office. The man sitting opposite of me turns his head and watches them take off as well. The Kingly man then turns and lifts a brow at me. "I'll go make sure they don't do something that'll get them in further trouble." I huff and stand up. T'Challa narrows his eyes at me but says nothing. "If I'm not back in about five minutes, it's safe to say that something stupid happened, or I failed and probably need help." I inform him before sprinting out of the office. As I exit, I can hear a faint chuckle from the man. It's a different story when I attempt to leave the control center. I hear an angry Ross shout at me from the other side of the room.

"Where do you think you're going!?" He furiously calls at me. I look over my shoulder as I pull open the door that leads out of this room.

"To get the other two idiots back here!" I holler with a broad grin. I give him no time to respond to my declaration before I've bolted out of the room and down the halls. It's not hard to figure out where the two of them are going considering the many flustered people and surprised guards left in their hasty escape. I don't stop to ask questions, though. I just keep going as that's all I know I can do. One guard, however, shouts at me as I fly by.

"Where do you think you're going?" He gruffly snaps at me.

"Sent by Everett to collect the two hooligans!" I easily lie before I skirt around one corner. Ahead of me, at the end of the hall, I see Sam and Steve slow to a walk before they turn another corner. I give a quiet little huff and pick up my pace until I too round the corner, a few steps behind them. My eyes widen at the scene before me. There's a guard on the floor outside one of the psych eval centers. My jaw clenches as my pulse quickens. It feels like my stomach is twisting as my heart viciously pounds against my ribs. This is not a scene I want to see. A scene that can only mean one thing...

The Winter Soldier is back.

"Steve." I quietly whisper as I walk through the door. I recoil instantly, bringing the back of my hand to my lips in horror at this new picture before me. There are so many, so many, more bodies in this room. I feel like what little contents that are in my stomach are about to make a reappearance. "Lord Almighty." I quietly say to myself as I turn my focus to where Steve's stomping over to the man who was giving Bucky's psych evaluation. I'm not queasy about death, but I am unsettled by the fact there's a brainwashed assassin on the loose. Sam turns and looks at me, holding out a hand to tell me to stay where I am. I give a small nod.

"Get up." I hear Steve command the psychologist. When he doesn't do as Rogers demands, Cap roughly grabs the man by his coat and yanks him to his feet. He then pins the psychologist against the wall. I'm not really following what's going on here. "Who are you? What do you want?" Steve demands accusingly.

"Uh...Sam?" I ask quietly, my eyes shifting to him. Wilson just shakes his head at me before strutting after Cap. I know he'll explain later.

"To see an empire fall." The strange man sneers. Just as Sam walks in through the door into the containment room, I see a metal fist fly. Wilson just barely manages to duck in time. Bucky-- no, the Winter Soldier misses his head and instead hits the wall on his left. I see Sam use his hands to push Barnes away by his gut.

"Steve!" I shout as I take a defensive stance. I really want to use my abilities to make everyone in the room overheat and pass out, but alas, the bracers make it impossible. If I don't die, I'm going to kill Tony for creating these. Sam and the Soldier's fight move out of my line of sight as I begin to attempt at worming my arms out of the bracers to no avail. I can just hear the whir of Barnes' arm and the grunts of Sam. Next thing I see is Sam sailing through the air before crashing against what once held Bucky. "Uh-oh. Stupid crap is happening..." I murmur. I watch as Steve releases the man who was supposed to give the psychological evaluation and instead intercept the Winter Soldier before he can come after me. I watch as the metal arm soars over Steve's head as he ducks. Steve quickly positions himself in front of the doorway. The Soldier turns to face Rogers, who punches him squarely in the face before leaning back as Barnes once again swings his metal arm at Cap. However, Steve is still within kicking range. The Winter Soldier kicks Steve in the chest, sending him flying in my direction. I lunge forward and catch the Captain under his arms before hoisting him back to his feet.

"Iris, run!" He knows my abilities are suppressed and I'm all but helpless without them against The Winter Soldier. I'm not generally one to run from a fight, but I know this is one I won't be able to win. It was one I had never been able to win. My feet feel planted to the floor, my heart feels like it's going to explode, and my ears are starting to ring. I'm panicking and I know I shouldn't be. I don't think I can outrun a super soldier that was tugging me along as we ran through an underground highway. Even with a head start, I'll never get far.

When Barnes goes to kick Steve again, that's when I snap out of it. This is real and this is happening now. I need to leave, even if I can't escape him in the long run. So I do. I turn on my heel and flee the room. As suspected, I don't get far. Bucky kicks Steve out of the room and Rogers clips my shoulder as he crashes into the elevator doors. I fall into the wall next to it, my shoulder cracking as I hit the concrete wall before I turn and look up to see Steve holding the metal fist that fails to collide with his chest. Barnes pulls his metal hand back before throwing it forward again, which forces Steve through the elevator doors and down into the elevator shaft.

"Holy-- Steve!" I cry, my eyes trained on the spot Cap disappeared. They then snap up to the vacant eyes of the Winter Soldier. He's glaring down at me, trying to figure out if I'm worth the time or not. My throat tightens as I crawl backward before turning and stumbling to my feet. My feet thunder against the concrete on which I'm running. However, my feet are not the only ones. Cold metal grips my upper arm before yanking me backward. I yelp before throwing my free elbow up. It collides with the underside of Barnes' jaw. "Sorry!" I say before taking my elbow and jabbing it sharply into his gut. It's enough to stun him so he releases me. I hardly take a step forward when his flesh arm wraps around my throat and drags me back against his chest. A flash of panic accompanies a horrid distant memory of a moment identical to this. "No!" I shout, suddenly feeling determined to change the course of a history that keeps repeating. I dig my nails into the skin of his arm as his hold only tightens. Behind us, a voice sounds.

"Soldier." It snaps harshly. "Alive." It commands. The intense pressure on my neck hardly loosens, but it's enough that I can suck in a sharp gasp.

"I'm going to gut you, you desiccating rat!" I spew at the man who begins to retreat from the evaluation center.

"Hey!" I hear a hazy sounding Sam call. That's when I hear the retreating footsteps of the not-psychologist. The Soldier begins to drag me forward while I'm still in a headlock. I fight him every step but considering he's like fighting a brick wall, I don't find myself making any headway.

This isn't going to be good.

I'm slightly beginning to wish I had a knight in shining armor.

Or a king in a Vibranium suit.