I could not believe this.

"What the fuck are you doing in my room?" I growled up.

Pietro picked his sister up and got the hell out of the room. I didn't blame him. Right now, I was pissed.

"Well?" I barked.

"I want an explanation," Tony said as he crossed his arms.

"I think that's my line, Mr. Stark."

"What the hell is this?" He asked as he pointed at my wall of wonder. I was so glad half of that was in code.

"I'm afraid I cannot divulge that information to you, Mr. Stark."

I crossed my arms over my chest, staring down Mr. Anthony Stark.

"I think we should be told if one of so called team members is doing some very interesting.....research. Either you tell me right now what this or I'll---"

"You'll what?" I asked. "Do you even have the authority to kick me off the team?"

"What your doing is----"

"What I'm doing is my business and my buissness only. What really perplexes me is how much you distrust me, Mr. Stark. I trusted you to respect my privacy yet you (and other members of the team) single me out for some reason that evades me. I gave my shot at trying to be nice but I think that was just wasted," I turn around and glare at Captain America and Agent Romanoff. "If I didn't know better, you might as well have been involved in this."

"Maya, that's not-----"

I didn't even bother to listen to Captain Rogers. I was too busy glaring a hole through Mr. Starks head.

"Get out of my room. All of you." I said as I took off my jacket. "It's late and I'm tired."

"Maya," Agent Romanoff tried to stop me. I snatched my arm away from her and glared right into her eyes. I wasn't in the mood for any excuses.

"Goodnight, Agent Romanoff."

My voice was cold and formal as it was in the first day.

I didn't trust people easily. It's what kept me easily. How could I have stupidly trusted them tonight?

Stark stomped out of my room followed by Captain Rogers and Natasha. Falcon mumbled a sorry and quickly walked past me. Soon, it was just me alone in my room.

I shut the door, making sure to lock it.

My bed looked inviting but a shower was in order. I smelled of smoke and alcohol. It wasn't a good smell on me.

"I'm a fool," I said to myself as I walked toward the bathroom.

---------

For the next few days,  the Avengers were in for quite a shock when half of their team rolled in for breakfast with killer headaches and guilty expressions.

Maya's usual spot was empty and for reason, everyone except Tony and his Anti-Maya squad didn't feel to say anything about it.

The most pissed off people were Natasha, Clint and Steve.

"Did she even come down at all?" Wanda asked. "It's almost ten. She should be hungry."

"I suppose anger is plenty a meal," Loki said. "Well done all of you. I must comment you on how absolutely stupid you all are. You've betrayed her trust and now she will be even more slow to trust you. Bravo, Avengers. Bravo."

"No one asked your opinion, Rock of Ages."

Loki let out a dry laugh as he reveled in the discomfort and awkwardness of the Avengers. It was a nice break from them always being so cheery in the morning.

"So she's just gonna stay in her room forever?" Bruce asked. "That's unhealthy."

"She doesn't feel safe anymore and some of us who didn't know better just invaded her privacy," Steve said as he glared mainly at Tony.

"Huh? What?" Tony feigned innocence as he looked up from his tablet. "Was someone saying something about me?"

"Of course," Pietro snorted. "Selective Hearing."

"You're the one to speak, Sonic. You and your sister are just as guilty as Stark is. And don't think we forgot about you Sam," Natasha snapped. "She was starting to trust us."

"Hey, man. I didn't touch anything," Sam protested, putting his hands up.

"At least she still listens to orders in the field. She successfully tracked down and took down that foreign banker on Steve's last mission. Don't see why we should even bother with her anyway."

"She's a part of this team!"

"Only on paper. She can fight, sure but it takes more than that to become an Avenger. You think we'll just let anyone waltz in here and say: 'Hey, I wanna be an Avenger.' That's not how it works. You gotta prove it."

"That's a load of bull coming from you, Tony."

"Oh! I'm sorry, Spangles. Maybe you can overlook the fact that her files have been wiped and there is absolutely no records of her but I can't."

"Enough is enough, Tony."

"The longer she keeps quiet then it'll never be enough."

"This is why we split up as a team."

"Can it, Goldie locks. I thought we were over that!"

"It's gonna be one of those mornings," Agent Romanoff said as she poured herself a glass of water to wash down the aspirin. The last thing she needed this morning was Steve and Tony having an argument. 

"Might as well just ignore them," Bucky said as he slid on his shades. "But I have a feeling we won't be able to with this headache."

-------

Stupid.

Moronic.

Idiotic.

I kept scolding myself over and over for even considering trusting the Avengers. When it came right down to it, they were like everyone else.

Hypocrites.

My thumb hovered over Fury's number on the screen of my phone. I could just call him and tell him I want out but knowing that pirate, he'll tell me that I signed the papers making me officially part of the Avengers.

I placed the phone down.

"Tell me, how long do you intend to mope?"

"I swear one day I'll kill you,"  I said, getting off my bed. "How do you keep getting into my room?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

He plucked a book off my shelf and plopped down in his usual spot. I suppose I should kick him out of my room but he hasn't dome anything to offend me.

Yet.

"Don't you feel angry?" He asked out of the blue. "They basically violated the small amount of trust you had in them. You must feel betrayed."

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

"I just don't understand you mortals. When one of you are betrayed you always look for some type of reason why instead of trying to get revenge on that person. What do you gain from it. Nothing."

That was rich coming from him. The man who betrayed his family and everyone he ever knew to take the throne for himself. And he wanted to lecture me about taking revenge when he failed at least twice doing so, the latter where he got his ass kicked by the Avengers.

Loki was just another person I could and never would trust.

However, I guess I shouldn't be the one to speak. I can't judge. My hands aren't as clean as I want them to be.

"Get out of my head, Goat boy."

"Goat boy? I beg your pardon---"

"Yeah," I pulled the covers over my head and curled up underneath them. I really needed a nap. "I'm sorry if you hadn't noticed but you have two golden horns on your helmet. Tell me. Where you asking to be made fun of when you chose that particular design?"

_______

A month had passed on by.

My life was training, missions, and finding whatever lead i could on Amid.

Unfortunately, I was having no luck with that last one.

I've tracked down every person I could think of that Amid would have come into contact with. People who sell rare items, people who sell bombs, people who sell chemicals and people who know very important people.

Most of those leads have come up dead.

Literally.

There was a man in Mumbai who had a personal connection to Amid Anwar's father. His named was Jeeva Bahl, a leading researcher in viruses and he was here in New York attending a conference.

Why would a successful Pathology and Microbiology professor want with an internationally know Biochemical terrorist?

Amid had a plan and I knew that Dr. Bahl would be a key part of this.

I would be ready for the next time I would meet Amid.

I've been working on my training.

It's been difficult with the cuffs. Some days they cause me immense pain that is easily washed away by painkillers. Other days, I'm in peak fitness but those days are rare. I've become more agile and my aim with firearms have improved significantly. I can shoot from a long distance with precision and accuracy.

However, I am still unable to defeat Agent Romanoff or Sargent Barnes. There are times where I can get the upper hand but she knows the right move to turn the tables on me. She has much more experience and I will have to continue for years until I can get to her level.

My social skills have not been improving.

I've been talking with Dr. Franz who has been trying to help me get through my...issues. It hasn't been very successful but I'll keep trying at it.

He keeps tell me that I should talk to my teammates and that this isn't a healthy or professional relationship. He's not wrong about that but the small amount of trust just ins't there. Sometimes I wonder if I should just disappear, but SHIELD would just have me back here in minutes.

The only time I even bother to see the Avengers is during our missions or training. After that it's just me in my room again.

Captain Rogers has tried to talk to me but I've kept the conversation brief and to the point.

Miss Maximoff has apologized on her brother's behalf. I accepted it of course but I had to hurry to a mission briefing right after.

Right now, I have no room for the Avengers.

I don't trust them and sadly only Fury has the authority to remove me from the team so I'm stuck here until then. Wonderful. It's like the first day of high school and I'm the new kid. It just sucks.

The only person I even talk to is Loki and that's not by choice. He's like a pest that you just can't kill.

Speaking of Loki.....

"You should wear warmer clothing. According to this book, it's quite chilly in Canada."

"I didn't know that you cared." I looked at the book title. "Arctic Adventures?"

"I don't and yes. It's quite fascination how unforgiving Midguard can be."

I rolled my eyes as I slipped on my gloves and a scarf. My 'uniform' already had an overcoat that i had added because I didn't like how skin tight the catsuit was. I didn't understand how Agent Romanoff was comfortable in it.

"Have fun, Trickster."

After closing the door to my room, i slip into the elevator.

It's been a week since our  last mission. It had been Agent Barton, me, Agent Romanoff and The Maximoff twins. Let's just say that the Italian mob isn't as classy as film noir suggests and it's better that none of us go to Italy for a while.

The elevator dinged as the doors opened.

I stepped out into the mini Quinn Jet hanger where everyone except Bruce and Loki were gathered.

The chattering stopped as I walked in on their inner circle. I really didn't care for what they were talking about.

It was getting harder to face them because somewhere deep down I felt a sliver of guilt. There were times during a mission when nobody was looking, I had considered just running away from it all.

But I needed to stay here even though I hated it.

"Now that we're all present, lets get going." Captain Rogers said.

I nodded and climbed into the Quinn jet. The Arctic wouldn't bee too long of a journey. I hope.

Agent Romanoff and Stark were in the cockpit flying the Quinn jet while Captain Rogers was explaining the plan to us and dividing each of us into groups.

"The Maximoff twins will act as out decoy drawing the targets out. As the do that, Stark and Visions will head in to gather the intel. Nat and Barton with provide them cover. Sam and Thor will be reconnaissance. Myself, Bucky and Maya will look for remaining hostages and hostiles while Stark does his thing. All good?"

Captain Rogers looked over to me. I nodded and then walked back to my seat. Sargent Barnes was seated across from me polishing his knife. He looked up briefly for a second before looking back down at his knife.

"Will you be okay?" He asked me.

"Yes."

"You don't look okay."

"Thank you for the concern, Sargent Barnes but I am fine." My voice may have been a little too harsh because he didn't say anything to me until the Quinn jet landed a couple klicks from the bunker that we were suppose to infiltrate.

According to the file I got this morning, we were infiltrating a Canadian based that had been kidnapping people and using them as organ factories. These guys had evaded top notch international agencies for at least a decade. We were hoping to find more information on these human organ factories.

The Maximoff twins quickly headed out and Sam took to the sky.

-------

I was right behind Sargent Barnes and Captain America as we scoped the inside of the building.

They moved so in unison, like a deadly team taking out their enemies as they went.

I had taken down a few guards who followed us as I ran after those two. The sounds of war could be heard outside. There were too many guards that had been stationed outside.

"Maya, watch our six."

"Yes, sir."

I kept on looking back to see if anyone was behind. So far nothing.

"It stinks down here," Sargent Barnes said. "I don't like it."

He wasn't wrong. It smelled of death, rotting human bodies and gods only know what else.

The corridor that we were traveling down was dark. Each side of us there was a glass panel that most likely held some of the test subjects. I tried my best not to look at them but the smell of death was overwhelming.

"Split up," Captain Rogers said. "Bucky stay with Maya. I'll go down to the left."

"Is this a good idea, Captain?" I asked.

"I'm with Maya on this one. This place gives me the creeps." Bucky said.

"I'll just scout on ahead. 

He took off leaving the two of us alone.

"So this is what the world has come down to?" He said. "Human experimentation and death."

"It's worse than that. Trust me," I said. "It's more inhumane than humane, Sargent Barnes." 

At that particular moment, the glass broke and sent shards everywhere. I ducked down and pulled Bucky behind me as I pointed the gun at the broken glass. What I heard and saw was beyond me but I knew that these things were of the worst nightmares. They looked human but I could see it in their eyes that they had forgotten what humanity was.

How did I know that?

I've seen these things before. A very long time ago. What make me shiver wasn't the cold but the fact that I had seen someone do something similar like this.

"Run!" I grabbed Agent Barnes by the arm and bolted.

"What about Steve?!"

"He'll be fine!"

"How do you know?!"

"Just run!"

The two of us ran down the corridors, shooting at what ever was behind us. I could hear them screaming and growling. Sooner or later, they began to shoot right back. 

"They've got us pinned!" I growled as I shot another one in the head.

The blood splattered all over me and then someone fell.

"Sargent!" I dived down to catch his body before it hit the floor. "You fool!" I growled as I dragged him away from enemy fire.

I was able to pull him behind a corner as I kept on shooting at those things. These things may have lost their mind but they still could shoot. That's what they were made to be, mindless soldiers that wouldn't hesitate to kill on command. So much for human organ factories. This place was a trial. This was a trap to test out somebody's army. 

I kicked down a door. Bucky wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled him in. I shut the door and barracated it. 

"On your right......." He said, weakly. 

"You're a moron, Sargent Barnes." I placed my hand on his abdomen to stem the bleeding. "I need a med evac and reinforcements. Now! The Winter Soldier is down," I yelled into my comm unit.

'Maya, what are you two?' Captain Rogers asked. I could hear the panic rising in his voice. 

I ripped off my jacket and used it to cushion his head. Luckily he had on his vest on. At least that would keep his insides from falling apart. The blood seeped from his wound and all I could do was keep pressure on it.

"A spare room," I said. "I don't know where we are."

'How bad is Bucky hurt, kid?'

"Two stab wounds to the shoulder and a bullet wound to the abdomen area. There's a lot of blood," I kept my voice as calm as I could. "Hurry. Please."

'Hang on, you two. I'll send someone to get you. Okay?' Natasha said. 'Hold on, okay.'

"Okay." 

The sleeves of my white shirt were stained with blood as well.

"How bad is it?" He asked, his face much more paler than usual. I could see he was slowly losing consciousness. Soon, his body would be going into shock.

"Oh gods....Captain Rogers. What do I tell him?" I said as the blood pooled onto the floor. "I need medical personal now!" I yelled into my comm only to hear static. "I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, kid." he said.

"But it was meant for me!" I hung my head in frustration. "I should've watched my six."

"Maya.......," he looked up at me with his cold blue eyes that were fading fast. "Tell Steve they I'm sor--"

"No, you tell him," I said as I rolled up my blood stained sleeves. "I can save your life but I need you to promise that whatever happens that you tell nobody about what I'm about to do."

"What--?"

"Promise me!" I demanded of him.

"I promise," He nodded.

"Good. This may hurt you," I said. "But it might save you."

I could see the cuffs that were embedded into my nervous system. Trying to remove them would cause intense pain but if I could use my abilities to save Bucky then the pain was worth it.

Reaching down into my jacket, I pulled out my father's knife. I dug the tip into where the bracelet attached to my skin. I pried it off as my blood flowed. Tugging the cuffs off my arms, I let them drop. It hurt like a bitch to do it but it had to be done.

My blood had started to flow free and I could feel the power that I had suppressed for so long rise up.

Raising my hand over his wound, I concentrated on his blood. How it spilled out of his body as it flowed through. My other hand laid on his heart, feeling for how his blood pumped in and out keeping him barely alive but not for much longer.

It was a faint pulse but I could sense it. It only took me a second to get used to it and then manipulate it.

With a wave of my hand, the blood that had seeped out of his wound was taken back. His heart pumped with just a command allowing his body to receive its oxygen and nutrients. I forced his heart to pump.

He let out a groan as his wounds healed. I forced his body to allowthe blood to clot and seal his wound.

Bucky slumped, going completely still. I pulled my hands away terrified of the fact that I had been not quick enough to save him. I pressed two hands on his neck, searching for a sign of a pulse.

There was none.

I panicked. I had just killed The Winter Soldier and Captain America would kill me next, then the Avengers. 

"No!" I cried out. "No. No. No," I kept repeating. 

I placed both of my hands over his heart, forcing the blood in his heart to pump and then leaning down to give him two rescue breaths. Thirty and two. Those were the number of compressions and the number of breaths I would have to give him.

I could feel panic set in.

There was a pulse. A very small and threads pulse but it was a pulse.

If this was the Princess Bride he would have been mostly dead which meant he was partly alive

I let out a happy cry as I pulled my hands back. His chest moved up and down like a normal and very much alive person. The color of his skin returned to normal, indication that I had done it. I had healed Bucky.

However my powers haven't been used for so long.

My body felt weak.

My vision was going fuzzy, mostly likely a very unpleasant side effect. Or maybe it was due to the fact that there were deep punctures wounds on my wrists that were bleeding profusely.

My powers worked.

That was enough.

I slumped down next to Bucky and closed my eyes, letting my own healing factor take care of my body.

**********

"Is she up yet?" Someone asked. Their voice was very distant to my ears.

"Let the kid rest. She took down at least thirty different guards," That was definitely Tony.

Him and his annoying voice. I recognized it even in hell. 

"Hey, guys. I think she's waking up."

I opened my eyes instantly regretting my decision. The light was too godamn bright and it was freaking cold. Im ust have been back in the Quinn jet.

"Am I back in hell?" I asked as I laid my arm over my head.

"No," Stark said.

"I think I preferred hell," I groaned. "What happened? What about Bucky, is he okay?"

"Calm down, kid."

"I'm okay," Sargent Barnes said, looking right as rain. "Thank you for the concern but I am fine. You might need to rest with that concussion. Also, thanks for taking out that guard for me. If you hadn't  I wouldn't be standing here."

"Anytime."

I tried to sit up only to be pushed back down by Natasha.

"You need to lay down until we get back to New York," she said. Agent Romanoff placed an ice pack on my head. "Why is it always you that gets hurt?"

"Thank you, Agent Romanoff."

"Natasha."

"What?"

"Stop calling me Agent Romanoff. It makes me feel old."

"Sure..whatever," I said before I fell asleep again.

----------

When I woke up again, I was in the lab with Dr. Banner wrapping up my bleeding and bloody wrists.

"What.....how long....."

"Just a couple of hours. You lost consciousness on the ride back," he said as he tightens the bandaged. I hissed in pain as he did so. "Sorry. Ripping the cuffs of caused some damages to your wrists but luckily it wasn't too bad. I'm gonna need these for a few days."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because these are hurting you too much," he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "I ran a blood test and found a significant level of amitriptyline and oxycodone in your blood stream. Wanna talk about it or should I make a note of this to Fury?"

"Anxiety and pain meds. What did you expect?"

"I don't know about the amitriptyline but I do know that Oxycodone can be addictive and easily abused so Im suggesting you stop taking it."

"What should I take then?" I scoffed. "Aleve. Tylonol? Advil? They're not strong enough to deal with the pain."

"Look, Maya." Dr Banner sighed. "I don't know what your going through and I know that your relationship with the team isn't that good right now but you need to pull yourself together."

Dr. banner placed my cuffs in a box that was labeled 'redesign.'

"Um........but----"

"I'm trying to help you. I know it's asking a lot but I need you to trust me."

"That is a lot to ask but since I'm at your mercy and those cuffs ensure that I don't kill anybody, I suppose that I'll invest whatever amount of trust I have in you."

"That's a start, at least."

"Yeah," I placed my arm over my eyes to block out the light. "Don't get so used to it."

"What were those things?" He asked. "I've seen some pretty bizarre experiments but those things were beyond human."

Dr. Banner was looking at the pictures of the things that were once human but whose minds had been taken away and replaced with something much more sinister.

"It's a good thing we put them down," I said.