Manhattan.
Christmas was approaching, and the festive atmosphere was everywhere.
Central Park.
On a bench, Skye, dressed in new clothes and looking beautiful, happily licked a chocolate sundae, while Bucky, laden with bags and acting like a dead fish, sat beside her.
"Women's shopping is definitely an innate talent."
Although he hadn't slept the night before, with system-assisted sleep, he just blacked out for a moment and revived with full health and status.
Yet, being led shopping by a tiny little kid had exhausted his stamina, which he felt was unprecedented.
"Eh heh heh…" Skye scratched her head, a little embarrassed. It was her first time experiencing the pleasure of buying things, and she was a bit worried Bucky might be unhappy.
But seeing Bucky just habitually complaining, she relaxed.
Who cares.
"Uncle, I think, even if I can only live this kind of life for one day, I'm satisfied."
"Little kid, it's fine if you become a little chubby, but don't become a literary youth."
Bucky was both hopeful and fearful regarding the little kid, afraid that none of this was real, that perhaps she would disappear upon waking up. There was nothing much to persuade, just leave it to time.
He just messed up Skye's hair, which had regained much of its healthy luster, once again.
"Hmph! You stinky Uncle!" Skye's face puffed up in anger. Her eyes darted, and she dug a full spoon of sundae, flying it towards Bucky's face.
It "precisely" flew into Bucky's mouth.
"Very good, you've shown filial piety."
The big one and the small one were laughing and playing when Bucky suddenly froze.
He saw a family of four, also laden with bags, walking towards them.
It was a couple with two children: an older boy about Skye's age, and the beautiful wife holding a cute three or four-year-old little girl.
The husband, the head of the family, was burly and imposing, with a stern, even somewhat fierce face, yet it softened when he faced his wife and children, showing a tough man's tenderness.
The reason Bucky noticed them was that they had also noticed him.
The man and Bucky both subconsciously noticed each other. Their eyes met for a moment, and both subtly frowned—the man opposite was not simple.
People who had been on the battlefield had different eyes, gaits, and auras—in Winter Soldier's memories, he had seen too many such people. This man was a veteran who had survived many battles, and he had more than one human life on his hands.
Presumably, in the other man's eyes, Bucky was also the same kind of person.
However, U.S. veterans were common everywhere, and although this one was a bit more formidable, it wasn't worth Bucky's excessive attention.
He just nodded slightly, and the other person also nodded in acknowledgment.
However, the two parties did not pass each other. The veteran's wife and children seemed tired, so the family of four sat on a bench not far from Bucky to rest.
The veteran seemed immersed in the happiness of his perfect family.
But Bucky, who had just killed someone not long ago, and had been doing good deeds last night, had the Winter Soldier's combat instincts within him, which were not dormant.
He always felt something was wrong, as if something was about to happen?
Was it aimed at him?
Or was this seemingly photogenic and distinctive veteran some famous figure?
Bucky, who had picked up a wild Quake just by taking a stroll, felt he couldn't have such a lucky thought.
"Skye, let's go. Didn't you want to watch Terminator? Let's go watch Terminator 2."
"Really? Okay, okay, oh~."
Skye was clapping her hands in approval, but then felt a force. Her uncle, just like the little sister she envied, effortlessly picked her up with one arm, which surprised and moved her. With a smack, she couldn't help but kiss Bucky's cheek.
Bucky, however, didn't mind the little kid taking advantage of him; he just gazed deeply at the veteran.
The veteran suddenly felt something, but only saw Bucky's back, holding the little girl with one hand and carrying bags with the other.
Bucky couldn't be sure who would be problematic. Rushing over rashly might implicate them, and if it was the veteran's problem, Skye would also be implicated.
It was better to settle the little kid first, confirm it wasn't a problem on his side, and then come back to check the situation.
However, just then!
Bucky, who was seemingly strolling but actually moving quickly, having walked over ten meters, suddenly turned his head!
He saw a royal blue Chevrolet muscle car, which had actually driven onto the bare lawn, and was speeding at full throttle towards the family of four!
Bucky had initially thought the problem was more likely on his side, but he never expected it to be on theirs!?
However, this was not the time to think about whose problem it was. The Chevrolet was charging madly. Although the veteran had already noticed, his body was a bit sluggish. By the time he truly reacted and tried to protect his wife and children to avoid it, it was clearly too late!
Screech! Bang!
Just then, the Chevrolet's engine hood erupted with an arc of electricity, followed by a puff of black smoke. The car lost power, moving only by inertia!
And because of the thick black smoke, the driver subconsciously stepped on the brakes, and the car stopped not far from the veteran's family of four!
It was Bucky who decisively acted, directly targeting the car and unleashing an Electromagnetic Short Circuit!
"Ah!!!"
At this moment, Skye in Bucky's arms, and the veteran's wife and children, screamed!
However, the veteran's wife and children screamed in fright, while Skye screamed because Bucky suddenly shielded her in his arms and ran at an accelerated pace!
The incident happened suddenly, and the veteran also reacted, quickly pulling his wife and children to flee!
However, at this moment, the people from the car also got out!
They were four tattooed, flashy Latin American gang members with Uzi submachine guns in their hands!
Bang, bang, bang!
Rat-a-tat-tat!
However, after they got out of the car, without a word, they raised their guns at the veteran's family, but they weren't the first to fire!
It was Bucky, who had run far with Skye in his arms, but simultaneously turned back, locked onto the four as targets, pulled out the Makarov pistol from his lower back, extended his arm behind him, and fired continuously purely by feel!
Unfortunately, even Bucky's blind firing, without any aiming, lacked precision. He was just lucky enough to hit one person's shoulder and another person's thigh!
There were still two other gang members who pulled the trigger on the family of four!
"No!!!"
The veteran could only try his best to shield his family with his body, but he still couldn't protect his panicked son who ran away. Both father and son were splattered with blood and instantly fell into a pool of blood!
Seeing this, a surge of anger rushed to Bucky's head. Killing people like this in front of him!
Die!
Bang bang!
Bucky suddenly turned around, firing his pistol repeatedly. Two gang members were shot in the head!
Bucky then carried Skye on his back and rushed over, feeling even more furious inside!
Damn it!
It was because of his own worry that an innocent child fell into a pool of blood!