Chapter Text
_Chapter 01_
Bucky had no idea what was happening.
The only thing he remembered was a flash of light, and now he was here, inside a strange white hallway with ancient architecture reminiscent of “The Camp.” Were they tricking him? But deep down, he still felt he could trust Jason and Percy.
He and Peter...
Peter?
Peter!!!
Where is the boy?!
He had heard Percy say they wouldn't recruit Peter; the boy didn't belong in their world. Peter had also confirmed that while the feeling of closeness and comfort among others as “strange” as himself was wonderful, he didn't want to stay at the camp while Tony and the rest of the Avengers were missing.
Still, he couldn't help but be on guard around them.
Oh my God!
Steve and Tony would never forgive him if anything happened to the boy. He himself would never forgive himself either.
Peter... That innocent boy. He's trying to find himself again. Decades of torture and brainwashing have made him realize that the world doesn't treat those who are different kindly. He and Steve are proof of that. Percy, Jason and the kids at "The Camp” proved it.
He knew Peter felt guilty for pressuring Percy in front of everyone. Moreover, what the girl Clarisse said about Percy sending campers on missions made him uneasy.
Bucky raced down the seemingly endless hallway.
The words of that boy named Will were still echoing in his head. It was hard to believe that this small child, a child not yet old enough to drink alcohol, was the head doctor with golden hands capable of healing him. Bucky didn't know what to think about the crazy superpowers he had witnessed. Those kids... no, they were the leaders, the soldiers. He believed Percy and Jason when they said they wanted to help the younger children survive, that they didn't want to drag Peter into that miserable life.
What worried him was the Council in the children's mouths, the ones who trained and sent innocent children into battle. Despite their claims that they had protected the world, they should have been protected, not the protectors. Percy and Jason had taken a huge risk to save his teammates after they had essentially kidnapped and imprisoned the children.
Bucky observed that Percy and Jason were essentially the top leaders in the chain of command, just below the Council. The fact that they could hold two people captive for weeks, despite the incredible superpowers and combat abilities everyone on the island possessed, was impossible without any rescue attempts.
Jason and Percy were fully capable of escaping. From the campers' uncomfortable glances and their own reactions, there was only one possibility.
The Council had given the order.
What did they want?
Peter was their most obvious weakness. Did they intend to use Peter to control the remaining Avengers? Especially Tony.
A voice in his head told him the Avengers couldn't defeat “The Camp” . Shut up!
Is the Council connected to SHIELD or HYDRA?
They...
“Uncle Bucky... Ouch!”
Bucky nearly collided with the skinny kid in front of him.
Peter!!
Thank God!
“Peter, are you okay?”
He observed him closely. Lucky. No new injuries besides a few old ones from the attack on the Avengers Tower. It felt like a century had passed since he first met Percy and Jason.
God, how long had Natasha and Clint been out of contact? How were the others? Percy's intel only told him they were still alive. So much for the rescue mission!
“Uncle Bucky, where are we? Are we getting on a plane? Where's Percy? Jason said he could fly any kind of plane. He was going to show me...”
Looking at the boy in front of him, Bucky's heart tightened.
Take a deep breath.
Alright. Calm down. He was the only adult here. He knew Peter wasn't weak. The battle in Germany had proven that. Steve and Bruce had given Tony a very long speech when they found out Spider-Man was just a high school kid. But he was their child. Now he was his responsibility. He had to protect Peter.
“Peter, what do you remember?”
It turned out they were all in the same situation. They were preparing to leave on the jet when a flash of light appeared, and then he found Peter here. He didn't like the other campers anywhere.
“Uncle Bucky, I don't feel any danger. Where are we?”
“We'll find it. Don't worry.”
“Wait.” Just as Bucky was about to comfort Peter, the boy suddenly cried out.
“What?”
“Did you hear that?” Peter asked.
Bucky listened. The super soldier's hearing allowed him to hear farther and clearer than normal people.
“Let's go check it out. My spider-sense doesn't detect any danger. Maybe we'll find Percy and Jason.” Peter chirped excitedly.
Although a little hesitant, he still trusted Peter and the boy's abilities.
“All right. Let's go.”
Bucky led the way, keeping his distance to shield Peter.
They came to a large door. Only now did he notice that the architecture here looked very similar to the ancient temples he had seen on his trips to Rome. However, there were no signs of age around him. Everything seemed to glow. It felt unreal. He felt uneasy inside. He couldn't see Percy or Jason anywhere. However, he had a feeling this was related to them, or more accurately, related to “Camp.”
Glancing at Peter beside him, Bucky said.
“Step back.”
Peter pouted, but obediently moved aside. He guessed the boy was still affected by recent events. Normally, the little spider would have chattered away for a while, trying to prove he wasn't a child. Everything had happened too quickly, he guessed the boy was still a little scared. Good. He felt both sad and proud. He didn't want Peter to lose what little innocence he had left.
Creak.
The door opened.
A vast space appeared. The room looked grand and surreal. White columns stretched upward. Beige was the dominant color. It was ancient Roman architecture again. In the middle of the room was a bright screen. A movie theater? He wasn't sure how things were in this century, but it looked like the movie theaters he and Steve used to sneak into when they were kids. It was a strange combination.
There were many people talking. Talking wasn't quite right. Everyone was yelling at each other.
Most of them were familiar faces.
That was...
“Bucky...!”
“Steve?!” That smile...
It was Steve and the others. The other Avengers and a few more.
Steve's guard immediately dropped. His closest friend was okay. He just looked exhausted. Good. Bucky could see that the others' shoulders were no longer tense.
“Mr. Stark!” Peter couldn't hold back any longer and rushed towards Tony, his gloomy face finally brightening.
“Hey, kid!” Tony hugged the boy, sighing in surprise. His eyes, wild with worry, became calm. He was using his eyes to check on the child.
Bucky watched them, breathing a sigh of relief. Tony looked haggard, but otherwise fine. Nat and Clint were still breathing despite being covered in injuries, looking as if they hadn't slept or rested for weeks. Rhodey and the others were all standing, no limbs missing, looking on the surface as if they'd been hit by a truck. However, no one was dead, which he guessed was the best outcome. The heart hanging in his throat since the Avengers Tower was attacked finally calmed down.
It seemed like they all relaxed their guard when they saw Peter. The boy was okay. He knew, even though not everyone admitted it, that they all cared about the boy.
Natasha smiled, warmer than her usual cold demeanor: “Hey, soldier, you're still alive.”
Sam placed his hand on his shoulder: “Buddy, we thought you were dead.”
“I could say the same about you guys.” Bucky replied with a sarcastic laugh.
“Buck, what happened to you?! You're bleeding a lot. I thought you were...” Steve exclaimed, the former Winter Soldier unable to miss the relief in his eyes and gestures.
“I...”
“Can someone update me on what I need to know?”
A cold voice cut in.
He turned his head toward the familiar blindfold.
Nick Fury.
Only now did he observe the agents beside him. Of course Maria Hill would be with him. Sharon being here after the incident in Germany was a surprise. There was Phil Collins and two other agents who were in regular contact with them. There was one more person he didn't recognize, but the face looked quite familiar. Luckily, General Ross, that arrogant bastard, wasn't there.
“What do you all remember?” Bucky asked, taking a deep breath.
They began to piece it together. Peter was silent in Tony's arms, saying nothing.
Nat and Clint were captured about three weeks ago. That mission was a trap. Steve and the other Avengers were captured after the attack on the Avengers Tower. They encountered some strange individuals with tattoos similar to Percy and Jason's. They were locked in a dark dungeon when suddenly a flash of light appeared and abruptly filled the room.
Nick Fury and the agents had just reported after the Board of Directors meeting when suddenly a beam of light enveloped Nick. Of course, Maria and the rest of the subordinates rushed to him. Sharon was with Phil investigating the fire at the Jackson apartment complex. So we have a group of suspicious and irritable SHIELD agents here.
“Barnes, how are you still alive? The amount of blood we found at the scene was enough to kill you, even if you were a super soldier.” Nick Fury's sharp gaze fixed on him.
Steve also looked at him. Everyone was silent, waiting for an answer.
Bucky pursed his lips, considering how to respond. He sensed he had to be careful when mentioning the Camp. Percy and Jason didn't need any more pressure from SHIELD.
“We went to Camp.” Peter blurted out.
“What!”
“!!!”
That line was like a stone dropped into a still lake. For weeks, they had been trying to pry information out of Camp, about the organization brainwashing and training Percy and Jason. Nat and Steve were extremely sensitive about child soldiers. They had tried so hard to get the other two to open up, but each time it was like hitting a brick wall. The vague bits of information Percy had inadvertently let slip and Jason's reactions painted a very ugly picture.
"Hey. Okay. No, they weren't the ones who attacked the Avengers Tower. The kids escaped and returned to Jackson's house. No, Percy didn't cause that fire. They knocked us out and brought Peter and me to Camp. They saved me. A lot happened. Percy assigned a mission and sent people on reconnaissance. We were preparing to go find you guys when we suddenly ended up here." Bucky explained briefly.
Before the others could ask questions, a “creak” sounded.
Everyone turned toward the sound. The agents put their hands on their belts and pointed their weapons at the door that had just appeared. Only now did Bucky notice that only the agents had weapons.
He didn't understand why he was surprised.
He and Peter were forbidden from approaching weapons, even a single gun, and sharp eyes always followed them wherever they went. No matter how well the campers treated them (which he attributed to the kindness of Percy and Jason's friends), he never forgot that they were prisoners.
Gracie, an eight-year-old girl with blonde hair and chubby cheeks, had no tattoos (he couldn't tell if he was happy or sad that Percy hadn't lied about the typical age when campers began training).
She ran up to him at lunch with sharp gray eyes like knives and called him a string of words he was sure would give Steve a heart attack, then burst into tears and blurted out broken words before throwing herself into Katie's arms. Piper and Will had to comfort her together and lead her toward the other children of the same age waiting in the distance. While the older campers (older but still newly mature teenagers) comforted them, watching their shy smiles but no one speaking to mediate, that was when Bucky remembered that they were the outsiders who had kidnapped Percy and Jason, the highly respected leaders of the Camp. Not only that, but the gaze of the man the children called Mr. D still sent a chill down the former Winter Soldier's spine.
The other Avengers had been captured before being brought here, obviously unarmed. He didn't have a chance to ask Steve what had happened to them when he touched the familiar golden hair and electric blue eyes.
Jason.
So...
Percy was here too.
Percy and Jason were wearing formal black uniforms with orange and purple capes fluttering behind them. Knowing their abilities and the wonders of Camp that he had witnessed, Bucky didn't question why they could move.
Percy and Jason were unharmed. They looked like they were ready for the cover of the August issue.
Bucky didn't like the expressions on their faces. It was the same emotionless look they'd maintained before the counseling session. Too calm. Too formal and stiff. Their shoulders were tense and their backs too straight. The aged gaze of soldiers who had seen too much. As if nothing the world threw at them could surprise them. The look of leaders.
He still remembered Percy's haunted eyes after the nightmare, Jason's smile when they reached the shore, and how the two of them comforted each other.
Then Bucky saw the people behind them. Will, Piper, and a few other advisors. Their expressions were all tense.
Oh! That explains it. Gracie and a few other kids, definitely no older than ten, were standing behind them. The strange red-haired girl was here too. Bucky noticed that the commanders were protecting her just like the other children, and he kept that observation to himself for later consideration. Now he was certain that this had nothing to do with the campers. The commanders had made it clear they had boundaries they tried to maintain. Only a few special cases like Jason started so early.
“Everyone's here!” Peter said cheerfully. If Tony hadn't held him back, he would have definitely run toward the group of people being held at gunpoint by the agents.
“Put your guns down,” Percy said coldly.
Of course, Nick and the agents wouldn't obey. Bucky could see Steve and the others' posture change when they saw Gracie and the younger kids. Just as he was about to intervene before things escalated, he saw Jason's eyes light up.
“What the hell?!”
“Ah...”
Flashes of lightning lit up the agents' hands. The electric current wasn't strong enough to cause serious injury, but it was certainly enough to make them let go, dropping their guns. Vines suddenly appeared and wrapped around the guns, pulling them toward the campers.
“So, can we talk like civilized people now?” Percy’s sarcastic voice echoed coldly in the silent space.