#killing wash at the end of the flight but before the battle is jarring and awkward and not in a good way

[talltalesandbedtimestories]

Temporary Ideal (Part 1)

The Beach FanFic (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Written decades ago. (uff!) Can find in entirety on Wattpad. May add additional parts if it ever gets some likes/reblogs.

~~~~~

The shade from the palm made the dampness of the air around me more palpable.  I could feel the condensation on my arms, face and lips.  I shivered in the early dawn, waiting for him.  Waiting and thinking.  This spot, near Bugs’ bridge, was the unofficial entrance to the village. It was where I had laid eyes on him for the first time.  I remembered it clearly, like it was yesterday.  Recalling that moment, surrounded by the soft rays of a new day, it was hard to believe it had been six months since the “Three Musketeers” had backpacked into our community.

~~~~~

It happened right after Vera had thrown me the last of the bed sheets.  I had taken the worn nub of the last remains of Unhygenix’s homemade soap, and rubbed it lazily against the sheet draped over the granite slab.  I hated laundry duty.  Even though Vera moaned and groaned when we had the garden shift, I would gladly trade in my pruned fingers for dirt strewn ones.  There was the quiet that was only disrupted by the buzz of an insect or the occasional tears of dead leaves. The hope experienced planting seeds for the new crop. Picking the ripe fruit and sneaking a taste of one, delicious pear before the rest of the community.  My innate green thumb surprised me.  I wouldn’t have looked twice at a cornfield or row of tomato plants in my “other” life. Here, though, things were different.

“Oh… my… God!”  Vera’s faux valley girl inflection had taken over for a moment.  Alarmed, I froze, staring down at the water flowing past my bare thighs.  The last time Vera had voiced that exclamation while doing the wash had been when she had a spotted eel wrapped around her calf.  We never were sure if the eel was very friendly, very horny or very tired of intruders in that particular spot of the lagoon.  She had grabbed that sucker and smashed it against a rock like a bullwhip.  Poor thing never knew what hit him, or her, or it.  I made a mental note never to sneak up on Vera after that.

“What?”  My focus shifted to Vera’s line of sight, which hadn’t been the water.  My mouth opened slightly, feeling the dryness that had suddenly appeared.  I’m sure everyone in the community had the same feeling at that moment.  There they were, walking over the bridge, entering our territory.  Keaty led the way.  His tour of duty by the waterfall had turned out to be the most eventful one in two years.

“Three.”  Vera waded toward the bridge.  My mind had quickly processed the total.  My attention was all on the person following six steps behind Keaty.  I could tell immediately that he was American.  I’m not sure what gave him away first, but the quick nod of recognition he gave Vera solidified it.

American.  Even though I felt fear and uncertainty at their presence, I still smiled.  There was another one of us.  Four now.  And there was another reason I was smiling.  That flight of butterflies that had remained dormant in my stomach for what now seemed like an eternity, was performing aerials I couldn’t remember ever experiencing.  It may have just boiled down to the fact that there was new meat.  Available meat.  It was obvious, the solitary way he strode ahead of the other man and woman, that he was alone.

He was tan, lean and long.  Everything about him screamed California boy, kissed by the sun from his golden-brown strands to the shine of his skin.  He tightly gripped the end of what looked like a trash bag over his right shoulder, eyes darting this way and that, taking in the entirety of the environment.  He passed over me as quickly as he had everyone else.  I was too far away to make out the color of his eyes, but his stare was intense enough for me to feel he meant business.  They hadn’t just stumbled across our paradise.  This had been a quest.  And I was pretty sure he was the one who had been in charge for most of it.

Vera looked over to me after they had passed.  “Let’s hurry this shit up and get our asses back to the longhouse.  I don’t want to miss Sal’s face when she sees this.”  I nodded in agreement, and then shook my head at the thought of Sal’s expression. I hoped I would be able to get some prime seating.

~~~~~ 

We slipped in after the impromptu “family meeting” had already taken place.

Sophie stood in the darkened corner and motioned quickly to both of us as soon as we came in.  We huddled together for catch up.

“They have a map.”  Sophie nodded her head toward the middle of the longhouse, where the majority now congregated.  Sal was in full mother-hen mode.  I spotted the paper in her hand.

“To the beach?”  Vera asked and Sophie nodded.  My eyes canvassed the area.  I saw the back of blonde boy.  “Who are they?”  Vera questioned again.

“The couple is French.”  I looked over at Sophie in time to see a slight smile.  It would be an addition to the already large French line.  “Etienne and Francoise.  The other one is Richard.  An American.”

Richard.  I let the name dance in my head a few times, unable to hide the vindication that my guess to his nationality had been correct.  I didn’t need to hear any more from Sophie.  I walked around the circle, just outside the radar of being noticed.  Blending into the background had always been my best skill and too much was going on for anyone to pay attention to me anyway.  They were all fixated on the visitors.  I could spot rage on some faces, fear on others.  But Sal would not let these new arrivals leave.  I had known her long enough to realize that fact.

I sat on my bunk thankful Richard was on the exact opposite end.  My legs crossed.  I could hear the buzz of conversation around me.  All of my senses besides sight had dulled, been drowned out, by the activity occupying me.  Taking in every aspect of this man was now top priority.  Boyishness graced his face, but the dominance of the man emerging was putting up a fierce battle with that appearance.  In his 20s definitely, but as to which end of the scale he tipped closer to was still up in the air.  The beauty and symmetry of his face elicited one word into my mind.  Perfect.  The shadows of late afternoon, however, didn’t allow a peek at his eye color.  The somber, stuffy atmosphere of the hut matched the mood of its inhabitants.

My hearing tuned in at the sound of his voice, answering a question from Sal.  I let the pitch and tone of his words flow inside.  Even his words felt right to my ears.  “It was on my hotel door one morning.  I’d had this weird conversation with a guy staying next door to me the night before.  He kept talking about this beach.  So when I found the map, I figured it was from him.  The guy who drew it…”

“Daffy.”  Sal finished his sentence for him.  The name jarred memories and haunting images of the rift that formed right before Daffy had left the island.  The friction between Daffy, Sal and Bugs had become unbearable.  I wanted to ask about Daffy, but the question only screamed inside my mind.  There would be no disruptions while class was in session, at least not from the well-behaved students.

“Yeah, he’s dead.”  My mouth dropped open, hearing that cold, factual sentence from Richard.  That sentence did not come from one who had spent countless nights listening to Daffy’s stories around the fire.  Not one who had ventured back with him to the mainland at least a dozen times for rice runs.  And not one who had seen the love for something pure turn into an obsession to protect it.  I tried to let the realization of Daffy’s death sink in, but I knew it would take forever to finalize it.  I saw the whispers and stunned expressions take over the group.

Someone, I think Dale, exclaimed, “No way!”

Richard continued.  “Yeah, he cut his wrists open in a hotel room on the Ko Sahn Road.”

Gregorio stared in horror at Richard.  “You have seen this?”

“Well, I came afterwards.”  There was no easy way to break this kind of news to a family.  It was like a police officer knocking at a son’s door in the middle of the night to tell him his parents had been killed in a car accident.  Empathy is a hard feeling to fake.  You just don’t know until you have been there.  I guessed Richard had yet to experience a close death. 

“Well, that’s sad news.  He was one of the founders of our community.”  I spotted Vera, still in the corner with Sophie, listening to Sal.  I hoped she had sense enough to hold her tongue.

“Oh.”  Richard nodded his head slightly.

“But he became depressed.”  There had been a clearing of the throat, somewhere from the crowd, after Sal’s addition.  My stomach tensed up.  It was amazing how fast people forgot all the good.  Most of the bad feelings toward Daffy were present because of Sal’s talks and speeches since he had left.  How he had become a liability, an acceptable loss for the protection of our community.   

I saw Richard survey the reaction quickly.  He had felt the bad blood and my eyes narrowed as I watched him try and feed off of it.  “The police didn’t know what to do with the body so I guess they’re going to like incinerate him or something.”  His smile and sudden laugh felt forced, out of place.  He immediately realized his mistake, turning his head to the side to avoid the eyes of the community.  He scratched the back of his head.

Sal took no note of it.  I knew she was concerned with only one thing.  “Do you think he gave a map to anybody else?”

Richard stared at her for a second, shaking his head in doubt.  “Ah, no… I don’t think so.”  I noticed relief on his face, thankful that the attention had been shifted from his foot-in-mouth display.

She looked at Etienne, Francoise and Richard, one by one.  “And you, have you shown this map to anybody?”

They answered one after the other.  “No.”

“Good.”  She handed the open map to Richard.  I felt another example coming on.  She grabbed Bugs’ lighter and smiled, “We value our secrecy.”  She lighted the map at the bottom as Richard held it.  I heard the clapping begin.  With that, our new members had been baptized.

~~~~~  

After dinner, the nightly ritual of bedtime began for all in the longhouse. The newly arrived were given their sleep locations. I quietly prayed to whatever Thai god had whispered in Sal’s ear and placed him an easy glance across the floor from me. It was a beautiful change of scenery.

Keaty was filling him in on how things ran daily in the hut when Sonja stood up. I sighed. It was a language class tonight. She politely requested everyone’s attention and began her translation prompt.

“Listen up, everybody.” Her blonde bob shook a bit as she scanned the room. Linguistic learning was mainly someone reciting a line in English – which everyone on the island spoke – and expecting a translation in the teacher’s native tongue. In Sonja’s case, we’d be regurgitating the phrase in Croation. I always cursed Sal when it was time for this, as it had been her bright idea to begin this ages ago.  I enjoyed poetry night so much more. I didn’t have to worry about getting called on to speak in front of the class.

“OK. Tomorrow I will travel for many miles on a bicycle.” She nodded her head towards the right of the hut. “Um, Vicki.”

Sitting just off to Richard’s side, Vick stopped in mid hit. I was curious if she had spoken to Richard much upon his arrival. She was a California girl. If my assumptions about where he was from were right, they might have a lot to talk about. She took just a second to contain her smoke before beginning. “Uh, sutra cu potovati mnogo milja bicicklom.”

I watched Richard listen intently before looking to Sonja to see how well Vicki had done. “Great, very good.” Sonja went on to her next victim. Though I should have been paying attention in case I was called, I was spending more time studying Richard.

After Helene, it was Keaty’s turn. In typical fashion, he stood up proudly. “All right. It’s far too easy, though.” With little effort, the words flowed freely out of his mouth. Cockily, he continued the rant. From what I could tell, his bicycle ride was going to be in the park after he ate a big breakfast. I shook my head, laughing at his pompous behavior as the rest of the group jeered. They eventually drowned him out. “There’s more, you know.” Before he sat down he took over Sonja’s duty and called out the next name. “Richard!”

There was an immediate hush. The newbie looked around and cleared his throat. To all listening, he choked out the words in a broken fashion; but, still surprisingly correct. Keaty yelled out in admiration, “Richard, you’re represented, man!” As was customary, the rest of the community applauded in sign language with their hands shaking while raised above their heads. I joined in on the compliment.

Richard grinned from ear to ear as he looked around the room. I felt that hiccup in my chest again as his eyes fell on me for a brief second. His eyes sparkled in the lantern lights. It was time to curse myself for being such a sucker for blue eyes.

~~~~~  

Six months later, he was still only someone I studied from afar.  There was the occasional friendly or duty-related chit-chat.  But he had assimilated quickly, making a name for himself in the process.  He still had a while to go, still only the second-string quarterback of the island.  I, on the other hand, was hardly in the running for head cheerleader or homecoming queen. 

He had become chummy with Keaty.  I had gotten most of my information on Richard through him.  The one thing I didn’t need explained to me was the crush he had on Francoise, the French girl that had accompanied him on the journey.  I wondered if Etienne’s ignorance to his friend’s feelings about his girlfriend was simply a show.  The looks Richard gave Francoise were just a bit too long.  I hoped my crush was not as obvious to everyone else.

“Beth!”  Keaty strode up beside me on the way back from a day of tilling in the garden.

“What’s up?”

“Have a question for you, love.”  I always grinned when he said that.

“Shoot.”

Always the gentleman, he took my shovel, and leaned it against his right shoulder as we walked.

“Triple A’s.  In short supply.  Got any I can borrow?”

“God, Keaty, what have you been doing with them lately?”

“Not me only, Richard’s been hogging my GameBoy as well.  We’re thinking of starting our own group.  VGAA.”  I stared at him curiously.  He smiled explaining, “Video Game Addicts Anonymous.” 

I laughed, shaking my head.  “Well, I don’t know if I should be a facilitator then, supplying you with the means to continue this addiction.”

“Ah, but the first step on the road to recovery is admission, which I’ve already done.  Can’t stop cold turkey, right?”

“I’ll have some for you after dinner.”

“Thanks, Beth.  You are a life saver, have I told you that?”

I nodded.

“Well, you are.  I’m not the only one that knows it, love.”

“Enough sucking up, I already said I would give them to you.”

“Right.  How about trying a game of cricket with me tomorrow then?”

“That’s OK, I prefer watching.”

“I’ve noticed.”  I slapped his arm after that comment.

“Don’t hit me over the truth.”  We both laughed, approaching the clearing to the beach.  I didn’t spot Richard until Keaty had called over to him.  “Richard, my man, we are back in business!”

Richard turned upon hearing his name.  He sat on the beach with Christo and his fishing spear in hand.  He nodded, smiling.  “What Keaty!?”

“Got our dealer right here!”  He placed his free hand over my shoulder.  “Kong competition tonight!” 

I felt myself blush with his attention on me. “Cool!  Thanks Beth!” He waved over to the both of us.

I nodded and freed myself from Keaty’s grasp and grabbed the shovel back. “Gotta wash up, Keaty.”

~~~~~

I’d settled down in my bunk after a satisfying meal of rice and catfish, accompanied by an unexpected salad.  I thought about the crop we would be working on the next day and couldn’t wait for the tomatoes to ripen.  They’d be a great addition to Unhygenix’s menu. 

I searched in my satchel for the book of poetry by Thoreau.

“Beth?”

My eyes looked up to find Richard towering above me.

“Yeah?”  I smiled despite myself.

He bent at the knees, lowering himself to my eye level.  “Don’t mean to be a pain, but Keaty and I,” I stared into his blue eyes a bit longer than I should have.

“Oh!”  I mentally slapped my forehead.  “The batteries.”  He smiled, nodding.  “Sorry, I forgot all about it.”

“No problem, just didn’t know how much longer Keaty and I could last before we experience withdrawal symptoms.”  He chuckled, leaning his forearms against his knees.

I laughed, reaching over to my cigar box, my little treasure chest.  “What are some of the symptoms?” 

I turned back to see him hunched over, eyes wide, with his thumbs rapidly pressing invisible buttons.  “Nothing too severe.”  He started twitching his head.  He continued the act.  “Jump…  Right… Punch”.  I waved four batteries in front of his face, grinning.  He relaxed immediately, opening a palm for the alkaline gems to drop inside of.  “Whew, thanks.”  He winked, and then smiled, as his hand clutched them tightly.  “Could have gotten ugly.”

“Glad I could fix you up.”

“I owe you.”

I smiled, thinking of a few ways he could pay me back.  “Don’t worry about it.”

“Night.”

“Good Night, Richard.”

I watched him stand up and turn, ready to make his way over to Keaty’s corner.  I was about to resume the search for my book when I saw him turn back out of the corner of my eye.  “Beth?”

“Uh-huh?”

“I was wondering… well,” he knelt down once again, “if you could help me with something?”

I nodded.

He looked around, I guessed to make sure no one was paying close attention.  I noticed him lingering his gaze in Sal’s direction before continuing, slightly above a whisper this time.  “It’s about Daffy.” 

It had been months since I had heard anyone utter his name.  “Daffy?”

He nodded.  “It’s just that… ever since we came here, I’ve had a lot of questions about him.  I mean he’s the reason we’re here.  But, no one talks about him.  I’ve asked Sal once, and Keaty a few times, but they just clam up or change the subject.  The only thing I got out of Keaty was that you were close to him.”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Could you tell me something about him then?  Tomorrow maybe?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll meet up with you after fishing duty.”

“OK.”  I smiled.

“Thanks.”

“Good night.  Again.”  He smiled, walked off.  I lay back, placing my hand under my pillow.  That’s where Thoreau turned out to be hiding.  I pulled the worn book out, inspecting it.  Thoughts of curling up with a few of his verses were now long gone.  I had someone else to dream about.

[valkyrie-echo]

Project Echo, Part 2: Chapter 36 (The Battle of Menno, Part 2)

Part 2 Summary: A new enemy surfaces with a team of the Avengers’ greatest foes, hand-picked for their destruction. Meanwhile, Inessa’s pre-Hydra past begins to surface, casting doubt on where her loyalties truly lie.

Chapter 36: The Battle of Menno, Part 2

Originally Inessa planned to leave her body as soon as the doors closed behind them. Nadya was never far from the center of the Valley, and every single door opened there, but she realized very quickly that wasn't an option. Thor continued to shoot up into the sky and hit the lower edges of the vortex. Closing the Valley off calmed the surface winds, but not those higher up. If Inessa left her body, it would drop, and she wouldn't survive. She had no choice but to cling to Thor as they were tossed wildly, buffeted in several different directions, until he finally lowered Mjolnir and attempted a landing. They three crashed to the ground at such a sharp angle that they ended up somewhere Inessa had never been- the lower edge of the Valley's ever-distant rim.

Thor held her when they crashed, kept the worst of the shock and stones away. Inessa felt a scythe blade twist sideways and bite into her reinforced top. Mercifully (and unlike the wooden spike), it just barely connected with one of the reinforced plates and didn't pierce her skin. She needed to add more protection on the sides, like JARVIS' design.

As soon as Inessa knew her body was safe, she reached out to find Nadya's- but something was wrong. They were much too far away. Her friend was a long way off- a couple hours at her fastest run. The Valley was too large and their trajectory too strange. Inessa was going to have to help Thor as a human- she couldn't risk opening a small window to tunnel Nadya through. The other wolves were running to join their leader, but none were close to her position.

Inessa rolled away from Thor, gasping at a flair of pain in her side. Cul was slowly rising to his feet. While he did, she poked at her injured side, tested it. It hurt like hell, but not like it should. Inessa had been skinned before a time or ten, she knew what it should feel like. Damaged nerves or shock- whatever it was holding back the pain, she was grateful, and a bit woozy.

"The doors are closed. If he dies, it's now," she panted as Thor righted himself and summoned Mjolnir from a few feet away. Inessa left the scythes hooked through her belt and let shadows roll down her hands to form long, black talons. She only wished she had Nadya's poison.

Cul was looking around, wondrous. He laughed, but it wasn't a scornful one, it sounded suspiciously like amazement, "Is this your doing, little thing?"

"Yes," she glared, "no more slaves for you to drain. No one to keep you alive."

"Other than you two," he nodded to Thor, "but- how did you find this place?"

Inessa walked around him, away from Thor. She was forcing him to focus on only one target- not that Cul cared. She wasn't anything resembling a threat.

"The Valley is mine to come and go from as I please," Thor couldn't summon lightning here, but he could beat Cul to death- she hoped.

"The Valley?" Cul's wonder grew, "You don't know what this is? Do you?" he shook his head, "That treacherous Barton believed you might have come from this land- a shade infecting the corpse of an infant. Now I wonder too," a lance of mist rolled from him suddenly, headed straight for Inessa. She didn't dodge the mist- something told her not to. She simply let it wash over her.

Thor shouted when he saw Cul's power hit Inessa. If she was taken- if he had to kill her to stop his uncle- but he couldn't kill her! The mist turned black as it touched Inessa. The darkness spread outwards, back to Cul. He shouted in pain and released the power before the black smoke touched him. Inessa was entirely unharmed.

"I don't believe it," his wonder turned to shock, "that imbecile was right..."

"You know this place?" Inessa couldn't hear his words. She was focused on Thor- silently communicating that she was alright, he didn't need to shit himself (if he hadn't done so already).

Cul looked up at the twisting nether in the sky. He stared at it a long time- long enough for Inessa to grow impatient and Thor to ready his swing, "That is all that remains of the bifrost in this realm," Thor froze again. Cul bent down and scooped up a handful of stones. He let them tumble between his fingers as he stood, "These? The pieces left of the Icari'i capitol. The last time I was here, child, the world burned. It looks as if the Jotuns left a ghost or two," he stared pointedly at Inessa.

Her mouth opened slightly. She didn't believe it, but if it was true- Inessa reached to the mind of Nadya, the sentient shadow with a mind unlike any beast or human, and shared an image of Cul in front of her. The wolf roared- rage and vitriol filled Inessa's mind, and as a group the pack's speed increased exponentially. They moved faster than even they knew was possible. Inessa drew back and stared at him- their reaction was personal. They recognized him. She stared at Cul, stunned, as Thor attacked.

Cul was caught of guard and shouted in pain as the hammer connected with his back shoulder. Inessa was jarred from her stupor as he spun and knocked Thor's legs from under him, then struck the prince mid-chest as he fell. The motions made his head snap back and winded the hero. Inessa dove for Cul- riding the fury she'd felt radiate from Nadya. She lashed at him with the shadowy talons and Cul blindly swatted her away. He looked down at the wounds as they healed, angry. Inessa landed several feet away and smiled- a streak of his hair was turning white. The plan worked. The Valley- whatever it was- cut him off from his slaves on Earth.

Thor didn't take time to make the same observation, he just swung his hammer into Cul's head once again. The two began battling in earnest, but this time Cul was keeping an eye open for Inessa. She couldn't take another hit from him- pure adrenaline and shock kept her on her feet after the strike, but she dove in when she could, slashed and irritated- forcing his body to burn through the reserves of healing energy until- there!

A streak of black shot past her, then more and more. Thor was forced away as Cul screamed in fear and pain. Nadya's pack swarmed him, slashing and ripping at every inch of his flesh. Inessa considered leaving her body to escape the pain and weariness settling in, but she resisted. She couldn't guide the pack in their task, and if Cul was right- if they were somehow the spirits of the world the Jotuns destroyed to stop him before- maybe they deserved to revel in their frenzy undisturbed.

Thor watched until he saw long strands of white hair and Cul's voice had grown feeble and weak. He dropped his hammer and walked over to check on Inessa. She was watching the wolves, pale and weary. Thor lifted her and carried the teen away from the feasting pack.

He was curious, and they couldn't leave until the wolves backed off and they could verify his death. Until they grew bored, there was time to explore. Thor carried Inessa up the slope of the Valley. Like her, he'd believed the far-off rim to be towering cliffs, but standing halfway up one such feature he realized it was only a slope. It was steep in places, but not terribly so. The Valley, impossible as it seemed, was merely a crater in a much larger landscape.

After several minutes he crested the rim at last and set Inessa down to face what lay beyond. In the distance a few crumbling foundations stood, but otherwise it was as desolate as Svartalfheim. Destruction showed clearly- scars on the land from the Jotun's war, things that looked like broken spears or bits of skeleton, the ground was black, but in places angry red rivers of lava flowed, and only darkness in the sky. The reason the light over the Valley was so flat, so dead, was precisely what Cul claimed it to be- the shining, shattered Bifrost. A sun must have shone once, but no longer. Yet the world lived.

Thor attempted to hail Heimdall, but no reply came. It could simply be the stubborn obedience that marked the bridge-keeper, but something else crept into Thor's mind. The destruction of the bridge likely cut the realm off more than anyone could fathom. The Avengers weren't wrong in their earlier guesses about the Valley- it was in another plane. Blasting through the Bifrost, breaking a connection so elemental- it had pulled the entire realm with it to this in-between place. One an erupting experiment into warped particles of light somehow found and formed an unusual connection to through an unusual source- Inessa.

They waited for twenty minutes while the pack fed. Once it was over, only a few pieces were left of Cul. Still, they collected them in silence and, too weary for words, Inessa grabbed Thor's neck, opened the doorway beneath them, and the pair fell back into the night over the farm.

Bucky slammed into Sam and both careened into the rubble. He cursed as he untangled himself from the dazed Falcon. Bucky looked for a way back up to that punk- he was going to kill Steve.

Sam, dazed, rolled onto a fractured wing and winced. Flight was going to be a no-go. Hopefully Natasha had everything covered, because he wasn't making it out of the hole any time soon. He couldn't even see the farmhouse from so far down. Sam tried to focus, he'd seen something important before- "TONY!"

Sam's shout made Bucky turn. He saw Sin making her way to the dead suit and ran for her. She saw him coming and braced for a real fight- maybe this one would be more of a challenge. Bucky caught two throwing knives with his metal hand and launched them back at her.

A blast blocked her from his sight as she dodged the blades. Something exploded and Sin went flying across the crater. Two Iron Man suits hovered nearby. They opened fire and within moments Sin was splattered across the far side of the crater.

"Reboot complete," JARVIS' cheery voice emitted from the suits- as if their appearance didn't make it clear enough. "Mister Barnes, please assist Master Stark, his oxygen filtration system has been deactivated and the Suit is airtight. I must assist Miss Romanoff and the others." the suits flew off. Bucky scrambled for Tony. His rage abruptly melted away and, more than anything, he felt ashamed.

Sam clicked on his comms, "JARVIS, if you see Clint- the guy with him is his brother. Last I heard we were friends with him."

There was a momentary pause, then JARVIS came back on, "His body was recovered with Miss Romanoff's. Both are significantly injured but in stable condition. Is the third party an ally as well?"

"Negative," Sam was emphatic, "terminate with extreme prejudice." There was a loud booming and the farmhouse exploded above them, "Too much prejudice."

"There was a gas leak in the house, that was not my doing." JARVIS sounded defensive.

"Sure there was. Good cover."

Bucky got a grip on the face plate and ripped it away. Tony gasped in the fresh air like a man drowning. He looked up at Bucky, then around as best he could at the crater, "The hell happened here?! Don't answer that- get me out of this damned thing first!" He noticed the red splatter on the still-smoking crater wall, "Please tell me that's who I hope it is."

"Where do you think you're gong?" Steve saw Morris between the farmhouse and the barn, retreating hastily at the sight of Cul, Thor, and Inessa vanishing into the sky. He followed, abruptly unconcerned with that bastard Bucky.

Steve kicked Morris in the back and he fell with a hiss, "What, are you going to kill me? Mister Perfect? Don't make me laugh." the Wraiths, sensing defeat, fled- useless cowards.

Steve's rage didn't vanish with them, he was fueling his own temper now, "I went to war because I thought if my presence could end it a fraction of a millisecond sooner, I had an obligation to," his voice was low and slow, eerie, "I gave up my body, my identity, my best friend, the woman I loved, even my damned life to help people," he slammed a foot into Morris' hand as the man tried to stand, breaking most of the bones. "I was dragged out of the grave, thrown into a hell of alien armies, gods, and metal men," he slid his foot up to Morris' wrist and slammed the steel fence piece through his hand, pinning it to the earth. Morris screamed with pain- his enhancements did nothing to help.

"I fought, like always, so others wouldn't have to," Steve lifted his foot and slammed it down again, this time onto Morris' knee, shattering it, "I fought the friend I lost. I thought I could save him, bring myself back from the dead too," he crouched down and slowly applied pressure until Morris' shin snapped. "But first Dennisson. Then you. You won't let me stop. You never will, will you? You, Loki, Hydra, everyone like you. Fight. Eat. Fight. Sleep. Fight. Repeating over and over again until I finally die. Then you'll find a way to drag me back again. Well, maybe not you specifically." He didn't care that his prey was screaming too much to hear him. He didn't care that the farmhouse behind him exploded.

Steve stepped aside and put his foot on Morris' throat next. The man grew abruptly still, "Do it," he said simply, "my master will only do it slower if you don't. Do it."

"Master?" Steve shook his head in wonder, "See? Another one in line already." he stomped down on Morris' neck. His foot went clear through to the other side. For good measure, Steve leaned down and pushed his shield through Morris' face- cutting it in half vertically. He pulled a small grenade from his pocket and tore out the pin, then quickly nestled it in the neck cavity and jogged a safe distance away.

Morris was the one who wanted overkill. 

Steve was happy to give it to him.

Chapter 37: To Defeat the Winter Soldier

[thesassybooskter]

THE COWBOY WHO CAME CALLING by Linda Broday: Excerpt & Giveaway

NOW AVAILABLE/ SOURCEBOOKS CASABLANCA

A Former Texas Ranger on a mission A determined woman slowly losing her sight A love neither could have predicted …and a danger that may steal their happy ending before it can even begin.

Glory Day may be losing her vision, but that doesn’t mean she’ll ever stop fighting. Determined to provide for her struggling family, she confronts an outlaw with a price on his head. But when a mysterious cowboy gets between her and her target, Glory accidentally shoots him instead. Flustered, she has no option but to take the handsome stranger home to treat his wounds.

Former Texas Ranger Luke McClain didn’t plan to fall in love, but there’s no denying the strength of Glory’s will or the sweetness of her heart. But Glory’s been burned before, and Luke will have to reach into the depths of his own battered soul to convince her to take a chance…

And trust that love is worth fighting for.

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  Excerpt

The wind shifted to a more southerly tack and hand-carried the scent of wild honeysuckle, bringing to mind the fresh smell of Glory’s hair. Did she miss him? Or did she breathe a sigh of relief to finally be rid of the bother? More likely the latter.

It surprised Luke to realize Glory Day had the power to make him forget Jessie. Or at least dull the memory.

Suddenly, a covey of quail took flight from a cluster of sumac and wild thistle. Soldier pricked his ears, stomping the ground nervously. The hair bristled on the nape of his neck.

Someone lurked out there. He’d faced danger too many times to ignore the warning. The Colt slid easily into the palm of his hand. Quickly, he rolled, stealing into the thick brush.

The fingernail sliver of moonlight suited his purpose fine. Hidden by dark shadows, he waited for the skulking varmint.

Coarse fabric rustled. Luke pivoted his attention back to the campsite in time to see a black figure creep into view. It was too dark to see the face. The extra light of a fire would have helped him. But he hadn’t wanted to announce his position with Perkins in the vicinity.

The intruder poked at the vacant bedroll with the tip of a rifle.

Luke crouched, biding his time.

At the right moment, when the culprit turned away, he jumped. They went down in a heap, jarred by the unforgiving ground. Off flew the intruder’s hat and a cloud of sweet-smelling hair blocked his view. No hard muscles—just soft, womanly curves.

“McClain!”

“Glory?” He blew away the tendrils of hair that swarmed up his nose. The fresh fragrance attacked his jangled nerves.

“What are you doing? Get off me.”

“Me? You’re the one who skulked in here like a common thief.”

No, he took that back. There was nothing common about Glory Day. Stretched out firmly atop her, he felt her racing heart. His toes curled from the sizzling current. Her heaving breasts cozied up against the hardness of his chest like a saloon girl looking to make a bit of change. Have mercy!

“Get off me, you lousy double-crosser!” She beat against his chest

Christmas could’ve come and gone in the length of time it took to pry his fingers loose and lift himself. He battled with the need to hold her close. The bold way her body fit against his made him long for her.

With the deepest regret, he rose, letting her up.

She brushed off her clothes in a huff. Her withering glare might’ve killed a less hardy soul. For him, it would take more than that. Nothing short of death could wipe the grin off his face.

The evil eye she shot him when he didn’t cower under the glare assured him she’d most certainly oblige if given half a chance.

He quickly plucked her Winchester from the dirt where it’d fallen in the scuffle. He wasn’t taking any chances.

“Miss me, huh? Couldn’t stand not having me around?”

“You’re a cheat and a low-down liar.”

“Whoa, there. I’m wounded.” He’d reckoned she’d be mad enough to swallow a horned toad backward, but to come chasing surprised the hell out of him. Didn’t she possess any sense to keep out of harm’s way?

“I don’t suppose you remember we had a deal? It simply slipped your mind that you agreed I’d come with you?”

The rise and fall of her shirt set his imagination ablaze. All that velvety skin lay beneath there. Soft swells he ached to touch. Nipples that begged for attention.

Damn! The honeysuckle still swimming up his nose must’ve pickled his brain.

How could a man fight against something he so desperately wanted? He struggled to pull his stare from her beckoning mouth and lost.

“If I recall, you promised you’d do anything I wanted if I brought you along.” He meant his softly spoken reminder as a warning. The lady trod on his territory now.

She crossed her arms, gifting him with more of those looks that could hard-boil an egg in nothing flat.

“Foolish drivel. Doesn’t matter now. You broke your word.”

He edged closer. He wanted to bother her as much as she did him. And fire and damnation, did she ever!

“Are you quite certain?”

“I’m not bound—”

“Ahhhh, but that’s where you’re mistaken.” His velvet words belied the havoc inside. The attraction between them was far more binding than any hastily spoken agreement.

Panic colored her stone-washed gaze. “I declare our agreement null and void.” She stepped back.

The rifle dropped from Luke’s hand. He barely heard the thump of it hitting the ground over the racket inside his head.

“Too late,” he murmured.

A soft gasp came when he brushed her arm with light fingertips. It didn’t take tugging or cajoling to pull her against him. Her surrender spoke of a need that equaled his.

Anything to oblige a pretty lady.

Tenderly, he caressed her lips with his tongue before he allowed himself to partake of all she gave. He paid no heed to the fact that however much that was, it would never be enough. He’d learned a long time ago to collect each drop of rain. Sooner or later, it’d fill your bucket.

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About Linda Broday

At a young age, Linda Broday discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining to the Old West. Cowboys fascinate her. There’s something about Stetsons, boots, and tall rugged cowboys that get her fired up! A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious National Readers’ Choice Award and the Texas Gold Award. She now resides in the panhandle of Texas on the Llano Estacado.

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THE COWBOY WHO CAME CALLING by Linda Broday: Excerpt & Giveaway was originally published on The Sassy Bookster