The Barnes’ File
Summary: One shot. The Thunderbolts infiltrate a gala to steal a file, but another agency’s actions triggers an explosion which opens a portal to another universe, dragging Bucky’s wife into it. In the other universe, James Barnes is 002, a British Intelligence agent.
Length: 5.1 K
Characters: Bucky Barnes, named and partially described OFC (image in board was chosen for the dress and is not representative of the OFC), Thunderbolts*, Doctor Strange, M’Baku.
Warnings and other notes: This started out as a dream sequence where Sierra dreamed Bucky was a James Bond type character but it kept bogging down so I changed it to her being drawn into another universe, where they were all British except for Jarvis, who was based on an American version of that character. Sorcerers were part of the British Intelligence unit MI-33 (the number 33 has meaning in several religions and belief systems and is associated with a spiritual awakening). Set after Thunderbolts* but before The Avengers: Doomsday, although the trouble referred to is Dr. Doom. The final scene is an Easter egg which may lead to another one shot, or it may lead nowhere, just like the Easter eggs that Marvel bestows upon us.
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The safe house overlooking the city-state of Monaco was probably the most beautiful safe house they'd ever used in any mission. Overlooking the principality from where it was built into the hill side just outside Monaco's official borders, the mansion was the epitome of luxury. The fine furnishings and expensive paintings were well beyond what was usually expended on their hideouts. Val wouldn't admit how they could afford it, but she did warn them that if anything was out of place, or broken, or missing, they would have to answer to her.
The team waited for everyone to be ready. Yelena, on comms, was grumbling about not being good enough to be the distraction on the mission. Her father, Alexei, dressed as the chauffeur he had been, lounged back on the expensive sofa, his feet up on the marble coffee table, while he ate some salted mixed nuts, then wiped his hands on the sofa's surface. Ava, pacing in her stealth suit, was to phase into the secret room where the files they were stealing were being kept in a hi-tech safe that she could phase her hand into. John, dressed as the bodyguard, scrolled through his phone.
Bucky, already dressed to the nines in a black-on-black tuxedo, pulled on the nano glove that would hide his metal hand, while he waited for his mission partner to get ready. To the others, Sierra Crawford, the newest member of their team, was still a rookie but to Bucky, she was much more. Opposites in many ways; they somehow clicked together as partners right from the start, working well as they anticipated each other's actions during missions in a way that was scary. That partnership became something more and two months after Sierra joined the team she and Bucky got married, in a secret ceremony.
The door to the main bedroom suite opened, and a vision came out, stopping all conversation, as she paused at the top of the arcing grand staircase. Sierra, wearing a flowing red silk gown, stepped regally down towards the others, then turned around slowly. Her dark hair, pulled into a sleek up-do, was accentuated by the diamond earrings she wore, provided by Val, with the threat of dismemberment if they went missing. A matching necklace, also provided by Val, with the same threat, focused attention on Sierra's décolletage, which despite being covered by a modest crossover bodice, was incredibly noticeable. The flowing skirt, with a front slit over the left leg that seemed to reach for infinity, moved when she did. The total look was one of beauty, grace, elegance, and a whole lot of sexiness.
"Holy shit," sputtered John. "That's some dress."
"Well, thank you," she answered, in her sweetest voice as she noticed her husband's jaw stiffen at the other man's reaction. "That's so kind of you to say. It even has pockets. You have to hand it to Val; she has good taste, sometimes."
Yelena cleared her throat. "We should check the camera and sound in the necklace. I'll know where every man in that room will be looking. We can use facial recognition software after to confirm who else was at the gala."
"That's why I'm the distraction," confirmed Sierra, breezily. "If they're all focusing on me, that frees Bucky to find the room, then he and Ava will go in and retrieve the file. You'll be able to manage that, won't you, Bucky?"
He managed to growl a mumbled, "Yes," and turned to Alexei.
"Get the limousine while Yelena does the comm check."
After confirming that everyone's comms pieces were functioning, and the camera embedded in the diamond necklace was functioning, the group set out. Alexei and John sat in the front seat while Ava sat in the back with Bucky and Sierra. Just before they arrived at the gala, she phased out of the car and assumed her position hidden in the shrubbery outside the mansion. While Alexei stayed with the car, Bucky and Sierra entered the gala, flanked by John. A brief examination of their invitation confirmed that Mr. and Mrs. James Burnes, associated with a prominent arms manufacturing company, were invited guests.
As soon as Sierra entered the main ballroom, many eyes shifted to her as she glided in on Bucky's arm. Liberating a glass of champagne for her from a passing server, Bucky left her with John while he went to get himself a scotch at the bar. By the time he got there, Sierra was already drawing attention from several men. With John watching to make sure she wasn't harassed excessively, Bucky downed his scotch and slipped away to the hallway leading to the private rooms. As he activated a scanner to find the room that gave out the file safe frequency, he heard footsteps and hid, watching as two men, also from the party came down the hallway with their own scanner, except they weren't looking for the same room, since they walked past the room his scanner had identified.
"It's the second room on the left," said one, looking at the screen. "I'm reading a signal from the data cube. You have the device?"
"Yes," said the other. "You're sure it's configured to only affect that room?"
"That's what they told me," said the first. "We place it in the room, start the countdown, and have two minutes to get out of there or risk getting caught in the vortex. Our associate on the other side will remove the cube and the device will shut down. No one out here will know it even happened."
Obviously, there were other items of interest in this mansion but as long as whatever device they were setting off didn't affect Bucky, he wasn't about to stop them. As soon as they went inside, he hurried into his room, activating his earpiece.
"Ghost, I have the location," he said. "Target my comms signal."
"On my way," came her reply, then she was suddenly walking through the wall just as he lifted the painting off the wall that hid the safe from view. "Give me a moment."
She walked over to it, breathed deeply a few times, then pushed her hand through the safe door, coming out with several paper files, handing them to him. She put her hand in again, and this time came out with a black flash drive. Quickly, they both looked through the paper files, confirming they were the correct ones, then studied the flash drive.
"I say we take it as well," she said, slipping the papers inside her tactical suit. "It could have more of your files."
"I agree," he answered. "You take the paper files, while I take the flash drive. I'll get Sierra and Walker."
"See you outside."
As soon as she disappeared into the wall, Bucky went to the door, opened it a crack and stepped out into the hallway, just as the other two men stepped out of their room. For a moment, none of them reacted, then Bucky jerked his hand behind him.
"Thought it was the bathroom."
"So did we," said one of the other men, gesturing to the room behind them.
With a nod of their heads, all three of them headed back to the ballroom. Grabbing another scotch from the bar, Bucky downed it, then sought out Sierra and John, finding only Walker looking bored as he scrolled through his phone.
"Where's Sierra?" asked Bucky, via his comms piece.
"Ladies' room," answered John, looking up and making eye contact. "Behind you in the hallway. Some guy spilled a drink on her."
Turning around, Bucky headed for where the bathrooms were then frowned, as he heard a low rumbling sound coming from the hallway, a sound that no one else seemed to be aware of. He looked at John again, calling him on the comms.
"Do you hear that?"
With annoyance, Walker looked up then frowned. "Yeah, what is that?"
Stepping further into the hallway, the sound got louder, confirming to Bucky that something was wrong. Just as Sierra emerged from the ladies' room located beside the other room where the two men had been, an explosion from there sent a shockwave everywhere, sending both of them flying back towards the ballroom. People were knocked down, screaming in terror. The wall between the ballroom and everything behind it crumbled, revealing a vortex of swirling lights and crackling electricity. A stampede of frightened people began for the exits near where Bucky was thrown. Fighting against them he tried to find Sierra, but the number of people pushing against him made it almost impossible, even with his strength. He contacted John again who was up on a half wall on the other side of what had been the main ballroom.
"I've lost visuals on Sierra. Do you see her?"
"Negative!"
Able to get to a side wall, Bucky jumped up, grabbing a wall sconce that was placed high enough for him to see everything. Hanging there, he scanned the chaotic scene in front of him, while John did the same from the other side.
"I see her!" yelled John. "On your three, near where the bar was."
Looking in that direction, Bucky spotted Sierra.
"Got her! I'll get her out," he yelled, over the din. "You help people get out of here."
Aiding people to stand up and direct them to the exit as he moved towards his wife, he was almost to her when the vortex suddenly got larger. Sierra was helping people to keep moving away from it then she met Bucky's eyes and raised her hand just as a tendril of light came out and looped around her wrist, pulling her back.
"Sierra!" he yelled, jumping over scattered debris to get to her. "Grab something!"
She tried, but the tendril of light kept pulling her in, winding itself around her completely. Just as he reached her and stretched out his hand to grasp hers, she was yanked backwards into the middle of the vortex, then it closed shut, leaving Bucky standing there, his mouth open in astonishment. Turning around he looked for the two men who had put the device in that room. If anyone knew where Sierra was, it would be them. A nearby groan drew his attention to a dark-haired woman, wearing black tactical clothing. She raised her head, frowned at her surroundings, then saw him. With Sierra's face but in a British accented voice, she called out.
"James? Where are we?"
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Once the ballroom disappeared, Sierra stopped fighting the light tendril that held her, deciding to save her energy for wherever it took her. Taking note of the blur of light that flickered all around her she wondered if this was a wormhole. It was certainly unlike any magic portal she had ever been in. Moving at speeds that were faster than anything she had experienced, it seemed to have no effect on her body, as she could still breathe and move. She did wonder if she was enclosed in some sort of protective bubble. The velocity slowed, and she went through another opening, landing upright in a square room with black scorch marks on the walls, in front of a man dressed in black complete with a black cape. He was just getting up from the floor and held one hand out in front of him as he studied her from top to bottom in an almost scientific manner. Noticing the sling ring he wore, identifying him as a sorcerer, Sierra spoke first.
"Who are you?"
His response was smooth and calm, despite the apparent blast damage to the walls in the room which told her the blast in the ballroom may have originated here. "More importantly, where is the other one, who are you and why were you brought here?"
"I don't know who you're talking about but who I am isn't important, and I don't know why I'm here. Since you're a sorcerer you must have an idea."
"You're very observant," he answered in a slightly sarcastic voice, "and not of this universe. Those idiots must have changed a setting. Was there damage?"
"If you count something exploding and a wall collapsing in a building full of people, then yeah, there was damage." She thought for a moment. "What universe am I in?"
"Not yours." He sighed. "You have sorcerers in yours, obviously, since you aren't surprised by what I did. I'm afraid I'll have to hand you over to my employer, along with the data cube. My spell brought both of you so there must be a reason you were drawn from there to here."
He bent over, picking an object up from the floor. The object, a metallic cube, sitting in the palm of his other hand, was rippling as it emitted different colours of light as well as a sensation of energy that she could feel moving through her. Aware that the cube must have had something to do with her being there, Sierra tried to get more information, hoping to get away and find her counterpart in this universe.
"What is that?" she asked, pointing to the cube. "Why is it changing colour?"
"You can see that? Interesting."
Although his smile appeared friendly, she recognized when someone dangerous was trying a little too hard to be pleasant. Snatching the cube from that hand, she pulled the sling ring from the other then punched him the chest, sending him crashing into the wall. The look of surprise on his face confirmed that she shouldn't have been able to do that, but she also wasn't about to stick around to find out why she could. Shoving the cube in her pocket, she slid the sling ring on her finger then touched the door, making it slide open. A guard on the other side turned around, his eyes widening at the sight of her.
"Don't let her go!" yelled the sorcerer, just getting up. "She has the data cube!"
Without hesitation she punched the guard in the jaw, dropping him immediately, then pulled her skirts up as she took off running down the long passageway that reminded her of similar structures found in Egyptian pyramids. This one was large enough to stand upright, and it led straight outside as she could feel a warm breeze coming through an opening at the end. Sure enough, she exited out into the night air, halfway up a large pyramid made of stones.
"Crap," she muttered. "How am I supposed to get down?"
"Jump, darling," called a familiar voice from the dark below, except for the slight British inflection. "I told you I would be waiting. I'll catch you. I promise."
Yelling sounds behind her meant that others were coming. Without hesitation Sierra jumped as far forward as she could, just as a flying car stopped her fall, and a familiar strong hand pulled her through the top opening into her seat.
"Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride," said the man, whose face matched that of her husband. He frowned at her, as if seeing her clothing for the first time. "Sierra, darling. What happened to your tactical suit?"
Before she could answer, a blue pulse beam came out of nowhere and the flying car banked sharply, sending Sierra towards the driver's seat. Almost immediately, the car righted itself, successfully evading being hit and she settled back into her seat.
"Sir," said an American voice coming from the car's dashboard. "We are being tailed by several aircraft, who have locked onto an object being carried by your passenger."
"Activate cloaking protocol," said the man who looked exactly like Bucky, still speaking in a British accent. "Notify M that I am bringing in a possible hostile, and Jarvis ... maximize your response to our pursuers."
"Yes sir."
"I'm not a hostile," argued Sierra.
"Heard that before," smiled the blue-eyed man, reaching forward to caress her jaw. "But you're not my Sierra and I can't take a chance, can I, my darling?"
A distinct pricking sensation in her neck made her flinch. Putting her hand on the spot, she realized he had injected her with a knockout drug. His sympathetic smile below those incredible blue eyes was the last thing she saw as she slumped unconscious into her seat.
Muffled voices, sounding like they were underwater slowly roused Sierra. Her eyes didn't cooperate at first, but she managed to groan, then felt a cool hand on her forehead. Putting her own hand on it, she realized it was metal and finally managed to force her eyes open to the blue eyes of one James Buchanan Barnes.
"There she is," he smiled, still using that British accent. "How do you feel, darling?"
She tried to sit up but felt like she was going to vomit. A pail appeared out of nowhere just in time to let her do just that. This version of Bucky Barnes didn't seem to be bothered by it, as he made sure her hair was held back and even gave her his handkerchief so she could wipe her mouth. Under his intense gaze, Sierra was surprised that she didn't feel like she was in danger. Still, there was only one way to be sure.
"Who are you? Where exactly am I?"
"My name is Barnes, James Barnes," said Bucky's double. "I'm an agent for MI-33, British Intelligence. We're in London."
"You do know where London is," said another British accented voice, from the side.
Clumsily turning her head towards it, she blinked several times, as the man behind the voice came into focus
"King M'Baku?”
The big man chuckled. "I'm a king in your universe, am I? That narrows her origin down, doesn't it Strange?"
"It does indeed, M," said the sorcerer, who appeared wearing clothes of red with a blue cape. He changed places with Barnes, holding up one finger. "How many fingers do you see?"
"One," she answered, then felt woozy again, as she clutched her head. "What was in that knockout stuff?"
"Standard issue," said Bucky's double, sipping a drink from a whiskey glass, as he brought her some water. When did he pour them? "Tell me, Strange. Is her continued reaction to it another indicator of her original universe?"
"It is," said the sorcerer drily. "Agent Crawford, that is also your name in your universe, isn't that right?" Since she couldn't deny it, she nodded her head, then sipped some water. "What do you recall?"
"We had a mission where I was the distraction while my husband Bucky found the room where the safe was, to retrieve a certain file. Ghost, Ava Starr, was going to phase her hand into the safe, pull out the contents and then we were all leaving. A drunk spilled his drink on my dress, so I went to the ladies' room to take care of it. There was an explosion, and the vortex sent something out to pull me into it. I came through what I think was a wormhole, then I landed in this square room in the centre of a pyramid. The other sorcerer was there, and a cube was on the floor. He called it a data cube." She closed her eyes for a moment. "I felt it pulse through my body as lights flashed from it. Somehow, I got his sling ring off of him, pushed him into the walls, took the cube, and ran down the passageway towards the outside, where this Bucky said he would catch me with his flying car. What's going on?"
Strange looked guardedly at this version of Barnes and frowned. "You're married to him in your universe, to 002?" Sierra nodded, feeling better and more clearheaded. "Describe the sorcerer." She did as he frowned. "Mordo. What was he doing bringing a data cube like this to our universe? Did he say who he was working for?" She shook her head. "What file was your husband trying to retrieve?"
"The Barnes' file," answered Sierra, "detailing how to reinstate his HYDRA programming so that he could be subject to control again. He and Ava must have been successful because Bucky was out in the ballroom again and he wouldn't have been there otherwise. But I don't think our mission had anything to do with this."
"Perhaps not from your end, but from this end, it may have everything to do with it. Where is the data cube?
"Right here in my pocket," she answered, puzzled, as they should have found it if they searched her. Reaching inside she pulled it out. "What is it?"
"Something that should never have been in your universe, or in ours," replied the sorcerer as M'Baku and Barnes carefully approached. "Place it on the table, please."
His nervousness at not touching it was her first clue that they were not happy that it was there. All three men studied it, then M'Baku cleared his throat.
"Why was our Agent Crawford inside the pyramid, 002?"
"A tip from an unknown source," replied Barnes. "It said a delivery was being made that would help us recover 001 and 003." He looked at Sierra. "Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. They disappeared without a trace on a joint mission, then weeks later, it was revealed that HYDRA had two new super warriors, Captain Hydra and the Raven. Both men were masked but we're sure they're Rogers and Wilson. Somehow, they were turned."
"You weren't?" she asked Barnes, puzzled. "In my universe, you were the one who was turned into a super soldier and an assassin for HYDRA after being captured during World War II. It was almost 70 years before you could escape them."
"Earth-616 is her universe," stated Strange to the other two men. "Many things happened differently there than in ours." He sighed. "I suspect this data cube is our equivalent of your Barnes' file, by a different name. Agent Crawford, you said Mordo handled it?"
"Yes, and he seemed surprised that I could see its lights. I was also able to punch him into the wall."
Strange smiled briefly, then returned to his usual abrupt self as he studied the cube. The tell-tale crackle of sparks from a portal beginning to open put everyone on alert, as Strange stood in front of them all, ready to face who came through. When it opened, revealing the Doctor Strange that Sierra knew stepping through, he relaxed slightly.
"Which universe?" he demanded.
"616," answered the other Strange. "I believe you have someone from our universe while we have someone from yours." He looked past his doppelgänger. "Agent Crawford. You are unharmed?"
"I'm fine," she replied. "How long have I been gone?"
"Two days ago. I was called in yesterday. Once I saw the other woman, I had to determine how to get here without HYDRA knowing. We don't have long."
"Her arrival activated the data cube," stated this universe's Strange. "Was that by accident or design?"
"Call it a happy accident," said the visitor. "I convinced the two agents in my universe to press the wrong buttons, but they must have pressed more to cause the damage they did. Only the cube was supposed to go through, but the two women changed places. As for the activation, you would have figured it out eventually. You'll need the information on it to get your two missing men back."
"Where is my Agent Crawford?" asked James Barnes, looking through the portal. "You are returning her, are you not?"
"We are." Gesturing to someone on the other side, 616 Strange looked at his counterpart. "A bigger threat is coming, and you will need all your people to fight it. When I have more information, I will contact you."
Bucky came through the portal, escorting the other Sierra, dressed in black tactical gear. She rushed towards James Barnes while Sierra hurried to Bucky, each of them kissing their man fiercely. After their intense reunions, the two Barnes men sized each other up.
"British Intelligence, huh?" asked Bucky, "and you're not a super soldier?"
"No, but I was a commando before MI-33." He looked at his own arm. "Experimental Stark prototype after I lost it dismantling a bomb."
Bucky showed him his. "Fell from a train in World War II, but this arm came from Wakanda. I'm a New Avenger, reluctantly under the supervision of the CIA, but it's a long story."
"Time to go," said 616 Strange. He took another look around the office, recognizing it as the London Sanctum. "Is Kaecilius part of this universe?"
The other Strange frowned. "No, he was banished to the Dark Dimension for all eternity."
"Good. Ours met the same fate."
Turning abruptly, 616 Strange made sure that Sierra and Bucky went through the portal ahead of him, then stepped in and closed it. They arrived at the Monaco safe house where the others were gathered, along with Val and Mel. Amid the questions about them being married, since Bucky had to explain why he was so frantic when she disappeared into the vortex, Sierra put her hand inside her pocket, finding the sling ring she took from Mordo.
"Oh, I forgot to give the other Strange this," she said, holding it out to Doctor Strange, who took it and placed it in his pocket. "It belonged to the sorcerer who was in the pyramid there, a man named Mordo, according to your counterpart."
"Mordo? Are you sure he said that name?"
"Yes." She looked at Yelena. "Would the camera have kept recording in the other universe?"
"I don't know. Let's see."
Removing the necklace, Yelena took the camera from its mounting, just before Val snatched the necklace from her, then held her hand out waiting for Sierra to remove the earrings. Uploading the data, Yelena opened the file as everyone crowded around the computer. They watched the video silently, but with interest, at her journey through the wormhole, then her entry into the pyramid's room. At the sight of Mordo, Strange exhaled quickly, then asked Yelena to rewind the part where Sierra punched the man against the wall. He shook his head, then stood tall, saying nothing for a moment. When he turned to them, he gave no sign that anything was amiss.
"Well, it appears that universe's Mordo is working for HYDRA. The data cube arrived just in time for them to get their men back. I would like to take the video file with me for analysis."
Although Val put up a little fuss, she relented and Doctor Strange left them through a portal to the New York Sanctum. With an order for everyone to pack up at once and get ready to go to the airport, Sierra went to her room, followed by Bucky, since their marriage was no longer a secret. He watched as she undressed, then patted the empty space beside him before she slipped her jeans on.
"We don't have time," she said. "Besides, I want to spend the whole day in bed with you when we get back."
"It's not for that," he answered, "but I want the same thing. Please, just indulge me for a moment."
Placing herself next to her husband, she smiled as he looked closely at her face, then stroked her hair, and ran his hand down her bare arm, to where her ringless hand was. Pulling his dog tags out, he undid the clasp and removed their wedding rings, handing her his ring to place on his finger, while he did the same to her.
"So, you had to tell them," she said.
"Yeah. I was a basket case. I knew the other one wasn't you, right from the moment she spoke but she made it clear she wasn't a threat. We had time to talk, and she told me about Steve and Sam, and something else. That pyramid you ended up in wasn't built by the Egyptians. It was built by an alien race, as a nexus point, and it was always meant to connect the multiverse. The trouble that's coming is going to involve more than our universe. Whoever that Mordo was working for, isn't HYDRA. She was pretty sure about it. That data cube had more than information. She thinks it has powers, like the Tesseract did and you know who was looking for it."
Sierra frowned, then looked at her hands.
"I could feel it's energy," she admitted. "That surprised them. So did the fact that I punched the other sorcerer. They were afraid of the cube; said it shouldn't have been in either of our universes. So where did it come from and how did it end up in that mansion?"
He shrugged, then raised her hand in his own and kissed her knuckles.
"I don't know but promise you'll tell me if you feel different or if you notice being able to do something you couldn't do before. I'm guessing that the cube will be more useful there than here." He reached inside his jeans pocket, pulling out the black flash drive. "Only Ava and I know about this. It was in the safe, so we took it. We haven't looked at it yet."
Sierra put her hand out for it, holding it in her palm, then smiled and shook her head.
"Nothing, I feel nothing coming from it, so it doesn't have powers." She handed it back, then kissed her husband. "I promise that if I feel different, I'll tell you. I'm glad I'm back and that we don't have to keep us a secret anymore."
A banging on the door told them that everyone was waiting on them. With reluctance at cutting the moment short, Sierra finished getting dressed while Bucky packed her bag. For now, they would enjoy being together, openly, without concern about the others finding out. After that, they would prepare for what was coming, together.
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The New Avengers were already at the airport when several portals, with sparks of different colours, appeared in a blank dimension, and different versions of Doctor Strange emerged from them, meeting in neutral territory over the coming trouble. When 616 Strange held out Mordo's sling ring, and his counterpart with MI-33 held out the cube, the others knew they would have to cooperate fully to keep their universes alive. Then one of them raised his hand and asked if anyone had seen a black flash drive.
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