bookpower C153 Winter Soldier Awakens
C153 Winter Soldier Awakens
C153 Winter Soldier Awakens
Check out early access chapters on my Patréon, currently 14 chapters ahead!
——————
After the battle, the room fell silent, the only sounds were the faint hum of the cooling machinery and the soft clatter of debris settling.
Peter stood amidst the wreckage of the feral Transformers, deactivating his lightsaber and storing it on his hip.
Peggy approached him, her expression a mix of relief and concern. "Peter, are you alright?"
Peter nodded, though his mind was still racing with thoughts about the AllSpark. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Peggy sighed, surveying the ruined robots around her. "I should have warned you," she said. "The Cube has a history of turning technology into robots. We've been experimenting with it in controlled settings, always keeping them contained because they emerge hostile, like wild animals."
Peter already knew this from the Transformers movies, though he still nodded along, feigning surprise. "I see. That makes sense. They were like rabid animals..."
Peggy continued, her tone serious. "We've been able to harness some of the Cube's power for technological advancements, but the transformations are unpredictable. Every time we've tried, the results were the same. Hostile sentient machines."
Peter listened, his thoughts drifting to the possibilities the AllSpark held. He knew it could do much more than just create robots. It had the potential to repair, upgrade, and modify Cybertronian machinery as well.
He remembered the Decepticons using just a shard of the AllSpark to revive Megatron after he died in the first movie.
But beyond that, Peter was uncertain of its full capabilities. He needed to experiment with it, to understand its power and learn how to control it without causing any more accidents.
"I think most of my free time will be spent studying this Cube now," Peter said thoughtfully, holding the AllSpark between his fingers.
"Just be careful, Peter," Peggy warned. "Despite all our efforts over the years, there's still so much we don't know about it."
Peter gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll be cautious."
As Peter looked at the dice-sized AllSpark between his fingers, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. This artifact held immense power, and with the right understanding and control, it could change everything. He just needed to unlock its secrets.
"Alright, let's clean this mess up," Peggy said, turning to the guards. "Secure the area and make sure none of these parts are left lying around."
The guards nodded and began their work, “...”
Peter glanced at Peggy, who was coordinating the cleanup. "Thanks for holding up your end of the bargain. I know your bosses probably weren’t happy with you..."
“I always keep my word.” Peggy gave him a small smile. "Besides, you don’t have to worry about me. It’ll take more than a few angry politicians to rattle Peggy Carter. I’ve dealt with far worse."
With a nod, Peter left the room, his mind already racing with plans and ideas for the AllSpark. He possessed a powerful artifact—not the type he had expected, but a fascinating and potent one nonetheless.
...
..
.
Later that day, Peter returned to the Red Room alongside Peggy. The AllSpark, now a small cube, hung from his neck by a thin wire rope he found in Sector 7 and fashioned into a makeshift necklace. He wanted to keep it close and secure, given its new compact size, which made it easy to lose.
When he left Sector 7, the scientists offered to give him a lead case to hide the AllSpark’s energy signature, but after running a few scans, they discovered that the AllSpark was no longer leaking any detectable energy.
Peter guessed that this change was due to its smaller size, though he wasn’t entirely sure.
"Can you do just one thing for me?" she asked, her plea met with a wary glance. "Please, just eat. Steve would kill me if you starved yourself in this prison. Just eat, okay? I promise it's not poisoned."
“?” Bucky glanced down at the untouched tray of food delivered earlier in the day, suspicion written across his face.
"I'll leave you to eat in peace," Peggy said, giving him a meaningful look. "It was good seeing you again, Bucky." She then turned and walked away with Peter, Fury, and Coulson.
...
Back in his cell, Bucky eyed the tray of food warily. He felt a deep-seated mistrust and confusion, but Peggy’s words had struck a chord.
Hesitantly, he reached out and picked up a piece of bread. After staring at it for a moment, he took a small bite and chewed slowly, as if testing for poison, but found none.
As he ate, a faint glimmer of something familiar stirred within him. It wasn't much, but it was a start...
————
As they exited the prison, the heavy door closing behind them with a solid thud, Peggy's resolve hardened. She turned to Fury and Coulson, her voice filled with determination. "I'll contact Professor Xavier immediately. If anyone can help Bucky regain his memories, it's him."
Fury nodded in agreement. "It's a good plan. His help has been invaluable thus far."
Peggy allowed herself a small, bittersweet smile. "The Bucky I knew never knew how to shut his mouth. Now he won’t even open it to eat. We need to fix him..."
Peter, standing nearby, nodded. "Good idea. Although I haven't met Bucky before all of this, it's obvious they messed with his head. Keep me updated on his progress. I’ll help where I can."
Peggy met his eyes, grateful for his support. "I will. And thank you, Peter. For everything."
Peter gave a reassuring smile. "No problem," he said with a shrug. "Anyway, if you need me, I'll be experimenting with the Cube in the meantime."
With a final nod, Peter turned and walked off, leaving Peggy to her work...
...
As Peter walked through the corridors of the Red Room, his mind raced with plans and possibilities. His fingers absently played with the AllSpark, which hung from his neck. The small, dice-like cube felt warm as if it were alive...
Lost in thought, Peter almost didn’t notice Tony approaching from the opposite direction, his arms filled with various supplies: metals, wires, and other materials presumably for his Iron Man suit, which he had been tirelessly working on since the Kree invasion.
Spotting Tony, Peter smirked and quickened his pace. As he reached him, he smoothly draped an arm over Tony’s shoulder, turning him around and guiding him in the direction he was heading.
“Huh?!” Tony grunted in surprise.
"Tony, you’re just the person I needed to see," Peter said, his tone light and playful.
Tony groaned, struggling to keep hold of his materials without dropping anything. "What? What do you want? I’m busy."
Peter grinned, unfazed by Tony’s gruff demeanor. "You see, you were so good at stalking me that I thought you could help me find someone."
Tony scoffed, his brow furrowing in annoyance. "I am not a stalker—"
Peter stopped walking and turned to face Tony, his eyes locking onto Tony’s with a look that clearly said, ‘Really?’
Tony hesitated, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his features. He sighed, adjusting his grip on the supplies. "Alright, alright. Who are you looking for?"
Peter's smile widened, pleased with the turn of events. "I need you to find someone named Sam Witwicky..."
A/N: 1943 words :)