The hum of the car engine filled the quiet night as a couple, dressed in formal attire, cruised down a remote highway leading to Washington, D.C.
The headlights cut through the thick winter darkness, revealing towering trees that lined both sides of the road. Their skeletal branches sagged under the weight of fresh snow, and the light cast long, eerie shadows over the frozen landscape.
Inside the car, warmth fought against the cold pressing against the windows. Howard Stark tapped his fingers idly on the steering wheel, glancing at his wife. "You know, Maria, we could've just flown in the morning."
Maria Stark, wrapped in a luxurious fur-lined coat, gave him a pointed look. "And spend another day dodging those insufferable politicians? No, thank you. Besides, you were the one who insisted on driving."
Howard smirked, eyes still on the road. "Well, you always say we don't spend enough time together."
She sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. "I meant a vacation, not a freezing midnight drive through the middle of nowhere."
A comfortable silence settled between them, broken only by the faint crackle of the radio, jazz mingling with static. The snow continued to fall in soft, swirling flurries, adding another layer to the untouched wilderness around them.
Maria adjusted her gloves and glanced out the window. "At least tell me you actually booked a proper hotel this time, Howard."
Howard winced slightly. "Well—"
"No," she cut in, exasperated. "Not another one of your 'off-the-radar' places."
"Hey, that last one had charm."
"That last one had no heating."
Howard chuckled. "Alright, alright. I promise, this one has all the amenities. Five stars, even."
Maria gave him a skeptical look but let it go.
Then, she frowned.
"Howard… do you hear that?"
Howard's eyes were on the road, but the sudden change in his wife's tone made him glance at her before tilting his head. To him, the only sounds were the smooth melody of jazz drifting from the radio and the steady hum of the engine.
But then—
All of a sudden, the rearview mirror flared a blinding light, forcing him to shut his eyes and slam the brakes in reflex.
Crrrrrr!
The tires screeched against the cold concrete, skidding for a brief moment before the car came to a sudden halt. Maria let out a sharp scream, her body jerking from the shock of the sudden stop. Everything had happened so quickly, and her heart raced as adrenaline surged through her, causing her to take quick, shallow gasps.
She turned sharply to her husband, eyes flashing with irritation. "Howard, what the hell?"
Howard, still gripping the wheel tightly, looked just as shaken as she was. He didn't answer. Instead, he quickly turned the key, trying to restart the engine, which had shut down with the abrupt stop.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have picked this antique." He muttered as the engine refused to turn on. Frustration tightened his jaw. One, because he had chosen a classic car for their evening drive instead of one of his heavily modified ones. And two, because he was certain they were being followed.
And whoever was after him wouldn't be some random thug. That much he knew for sure.
Maria noticed the tension in his face, and her earlier frustration quickly faded into concern. "Honey…" Her voice softened, an attempt to reassure him. But before she could say anything more, the low, rumbling growl of the motorcycle engine filled their ears—growing louder. Fast.
"That's the sound!" Maria blurted out, her voice louder than she intended—perhaps shaken by the sudden turn of events. "I knew I heard another vehicle earlier…"
"I hear it too, hon…" Howard said, still yanking the key. "But whoever that is—I don't think they're here to say hello."
The engine let out a painful whine but refused to start.
"You mean—" Maria started, but she didn't need to finish. She had the same thought as her husband. After all, she wasn't just any woman—she was the one chosen by the smartest man in the world to be his wife.
Before she could speak again, the car finally roared to life.
Brumm… brumm…
"Buckle in! Hold on to something!" Howard barked, giving only two instructions before slamming his foot on the gas.
The tires screeched, burning against the cold concrete as the car lurched forward. But just as they started moving—
BAM!
A brutal impact slammed into the side of the car.
Howard barely had time to register it before he lost control.
Screeeeeech!
The car swerved violently, skidding left and right as it accelerated uncontrollably. The world spun—
CRASH!
With a deafening crunch, it smashed into a tree at the side of the road.
...
Some distance above the crash site, Maverick and Ali watched the scene unfold in eerie silence.
Ali stole a glance at his boss, who stood with his hands in his coat pockets, watching the wreckage below with a flat expression.
"I thought we were here to save them?" Ali asked, puzzled.
"In due time," Maverick answered simply.
Ali shrugged and turned his attention back to the road below. "Still, that kick... That was nothing a normal human should be capable of. He sent a moving car flying off course like it was a toy. Is he a mutant?"
Maverick's lips curled into an unreadable smile. "You're right—he's not normal. But not a mutant either."
Ali sighed, knowing his boss was doing that thing again—half-explaining and leaving more questions than answers. He knew better than to press now, so he turned his gaze back to the scene, watching as the assailant parked his motorcycle a short distance from the crashed vehicle.
---
Back with the Starks
"Arrgh…"
Howard groaned as his eyes fluttered open. His head throbbed, and when he reached up instinctively, his fingers came away wet and sticky. Blinking through his blurry vision, he saw the dark stain of blood.
His own.
His forehead must have slammed into the wheel on impact.
Then, memory flooded back.
"Maria!" He turned in alarm.
Beside him, his wife stirred with a soft groan. Slowly, she sat up, dazed but alive.
"Howard… what just happened?" she muttered, still trying to process the crash.
"Thank God." He exhaled in relief. They hadn't been going fast enough for the crash to be fatal. If they had…
Shoving that thought aside, he reached toward the glove compartment, yanked it open, and pulled out a pistol.
"Unbuckle. We need to get out. Now."
Howard fumbled with his seatbelt, unclasping it before reaching for the door handle.
Clank.
It wouldn't budge.
"Dammit," he cursed, ramming his shoulder against the door. The second time, it finally gave way, swinging open with a groan of protest.
Wasting no time, he stumbled out and immediately turned, reaching a hand toward Maria.
"Come on! Hurry!"
Maria grasped his hand and climbed out, her feet unsteady on the cold pavement. But the moment she steadied herself, her breath hitched.
"Ho-Howard… be-behind you," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Howard froze. A cold dread curled in his gut. He didn't turn immediately—he felt the presence before he even saw it.
Then, in one swift motion, he spun around, pistol raised.
Boom!
The shot wasn't from him—but at him. A single bullet struck his hand, knocking the gun clean from his grip. A sharp pain shot up his arm as he instinctively recoiled, crouching slightly from the impact.
"Argh!" Howard recoiled, clutching his stinging fingers. It hadn't been a direct hit, but the impact alone was enough to send a sharp wave of pain up his arm.
"Howard!" Maria screamed, falling to his side in panic. "Are you hit?! Are you—"
"I'm fine," he gritted out, eyes flicking up toward their attacker.
And then his breath caught.
The man standing before them was clad in a dark combat uniform, a rifle slung over his shoulder. But what made Howard's blood run cold was the metallic sheen of his left arm—gleaming in the dim light.
Then, finally, his gaze settled on the face.
Howard's heart nearly stopped.
"You…" His voice came out hoarse. Disbelief warred with recognition. "Sergeant Barnes?"
The soldier halted mid-step.
"You're… you're Sergeant Barnes. Bucky Barnes. But how—?" Howard's voice wavered. His mind raced, struggling to process the impossible. "Why are you trying to kill us?"
Barnes' expression was unreadable, his eyes empty. But for the first time in a long while, something flickered within them. A hesitation.
A memory—no, a feeling he did not recognize.
But that intuition lasted only a second before his gaze hardened once more. Without a word, he reached for the rifle slung over his shoulder.
"Wait!"
"Wait! Bucky!" Howard shouted, desperation lacing his voice.
No response.
Click. Click.
The rifle was loaded. And this time, Barnes didn't aim at Howard.
He aimed at Maria. Why? Because aiming at the woman stirred nothing in him—no hesitation, no conflict. She was just a target. He decided to kill her first, then eliminate the other next.
Maria froze. The panic seized her body, locking her in place. She wasn't even screaming—her mind had gone blank.
Howard, despite his pain, moved on instinct, throwing himself in front of his wife.
Barnes' finger tightened on the trigger.
And then—
"Would you mind not pointing such a dangerous thing at such a pretty face, Mr. Winter Soldier?"
The voice was deep, smooth, and strangely mechanical.
Barnes didn't hesitate. Without even looking, he spun toward the voice and opened fire.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Gunfire roared through the night, bullets flying straight toward the newcomer.
Then—
Silence.
When the dust settled, their eyes widened in shock—well, only the couple did. The Winter Soldier, however, remained expressionless, as if witnessing something extraordinary was nothing new to him.
Because, the bullets had stopped.
Not missed. Stopped.
An invisible force had halted them midair, mere inches from a dark figure standing a few feet away.
The couples breath caught as they took in the sight.
The man was dressed entirely in black—a long coat draped over a fitted suit, his boots planted firmly on the cold pavement. A hat sat low on his head, shadowing most of his face.
But that wasn't what sent a chill down the couple's spine.
It was the darkness where his face should have been.
Not a mask. Not a blur. Just… nothing.
And in that nothingness, two crimson lights glowed where his eyes should have been.
—————————
Author's Note:
Just a quick update — up to Chapter 136 is already available on P AT r30n!
PAT r30n [.] com / RyanFic