Where one man loses his way, the other tries desperately to retrieve it. Yet, the experiments by HYDRA have changed Bucky Barnes, both physically and mentally. He is no longer the man he was and forfeits the trust he once had among his peers. Only a few still stand with him, reluctant to abandon him out of love for their lost mutual friend and united by a common enemy. 
With Howard Stark and Peggy Carter leading behind the curtain, and Sergeant Barnes on the front lines, HYDRA has now become a cornered beast — the most dangerous of all.

"Are you absolutely sure it's him?"

"You tell me." Howard pushed the photographs into Bucky's shaking hands. "After all, you know him best."

Bucky stared at the pictures taken by the Howling Commandos during their last mission in Siberia. Adrenaline and excitement rushed through him as he recognized Steve Rogers. His hair was darker and longer too, and there was a certain gloom and threat in his figure, but it was definitely him. He would recognize those blue eyes anywhere.
Bucky rushed out of the lab. Howard came after him, but he didn't slow down. He had to suit up. He would ride down to the airfield, take one of the planes, and fly to Siberia to get his best friend home. But just as he was about to take the left corridor to his room, the chief scientist of the SSR blocked his way, agitated and struggling to catch his breath after running up four flights of stairs.

"Now wait... wait just... one minute here!" 

"Out of my way, Stark." Bucky roughly pushed him aside, nearly knocking the other man on his ass.

"Barnes, dammit, be smart about this!" Howard seized his arm and yanked him back (or tried to, considering Bucky was almost double his size). "You're never going to get the okay. And you can't go rogue; they will hunt you down like an animal to bring you back. I persuaded the suits against putting you in cryostasis for now, but if you just up and leave, I won't be able to do anything for you anymore."

"Then I better not get caught."

"Say you find him. What then, huh? We've got no idea what HYDRA's been doing to him these past seventeen months. Steve could be worse off than you. I don't care if you wanna risk your own stubborn ass, but I will not let you put this facility in danger by bringing Steve here, Barnes!"

Bucky suddenly whirled around and grabbed hold of Stark's face. The man's startled gasp was cut short when Bucky's power kicked in. His body went limp, and a mist fell over his eyes. 

"Calm down, Stark," spoke Bucky softly. "You're talking nonsense, and you know it. You know I'm the only one who can bring Steve back safely, just like you're the only one who can undo whatever HYDRA did. Now, why don't you just let me go, hm? I'll be back before you know it. Besides, with me gone, you're done babysitting. You can go back to the lab and tinker away at that device you're making. Sound good, right?"

"S-Sound... good."

Bucky let go. Howard swayed a little on jelly legs, but then snapped out of his trance and blinked. When he focussed on Bucky, he grinned and said, "You know, I think I'm close to finishing my electromagnetic pulse project. That's really gonna pack a punch, trust me on that. I'm gonna go back to my lab to tinker at it. Make sure it's ready for when you need it. Good luck on your mission, Barnes."

"That's swell, Stark. And thank you. I'll be back soon."

"You better. 'Cause I ain't telling Peggy she lost another fella to HYDRA."

Howard winked as he walked past Bucky to take the elevator back down. His last words lingered in the latter's mind. For the briefest second, Bucky thought about telling Peggy he was going out to look for Steve. But she might try to stop him. And he really didn't want to use his power on her. He was already feeling guilty about Howard. 

Neither of them actually brought up their... relationship, if one could even call it that. They'd never meant for anything to happen, but one thing had led to another and now they were... Bucky didn't really understand what they were. Good friends and occasional lovers, maybe? They cared for each other, there was no doubt about that. Peggy helped Bucky understand his new abilities like his insane strength and speed, and his emotion and mind manipulation, just like Bucky supported Peggy as she rose through the testosterone-filled ranks of the SSR. But both were well aware they could never and would never be more than that. Not when they were both still longing for the man they'd lost. 
But Bucky would get him back. And when he did, he would never let him go again.

⛓️⛓️⛓️

"Why on Earth would you let him go, Howard? God, you can be such an utter twonk sometimes!"

"A what? What's a twonk?"

"Take a look in the bloody mirror!"

"Ouch! Damn, Peg, harsh much?"

Peggy rolled her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh as she stomped out of the elevator on the ground floor. 

"You better pray he's still at that airfield, Howard," she snapped back at the scientist. "I may be able to get to him before anyone finds out he's —"

The young woman's words caught in her throat when she stepped outside the building. Her eyes widened at the harrowing sight before her. Bodies lay scattered around the yard, blood seeping the dirt and grass. Not a soul was left alive. 

"Peggy, get back inside." Howard urgently reached for her hand. "Peggy, please, get ba—"

A rifle shot cut through the deafening silence, and before Peggy realized well enough what had happened, Howard Stark lay dead on the ground, a single bullet hole through the side of his head. Peggy pulled her gun in one swift move and aimed to shoot the person who killed her friend and colleague. But when she saw who it was, her body froze and her heart stopped. It couldn't be.

"Steve?"

💀💀💀

Bucky saw the smoke from the airfield and doubled back instantly, but he still arrived too late. Camp Lehigh lay in ruins. Nothing remained but smoldering ashes.
He walked among the fallen, taking in the chaos of the massacre. When he came upon the bodies of the only people he had yet considered his friends, he dropped to his knees. He caressed Peggy's dark brown hair with a trembling hand. At least it had been quick for her — one bullet, straight to the heart. The tears stuck in her eyelashes told Bucky all he needed to know. 

Steve Rogers had lost himself to HYDRA. He was gone. 
For good.