I stepped off the train and into the dense, overwhelming sprawl of New York. The city was buzzing with its usual chaos—sirens wailing in the distance, honking horns, a low hum of a thousand lives intertwining in one giant mess. The air smelled like gasoline, food carts, and rain, and it was thick with the kind of noise that made you forget where you were going, where you came from. It was easy to get lost here—and that's exactly what I needed.
I wasn't sure what I expected when I got here. The city had a way of eating people alive, chewing them up and spitting them out without a second thought. But in the back of my mind, I knew where I had to go. I had to find Steve.
But why?
Why did I need him so badly?
It wasn't just because of what we went through together. It wasn't just because he was the only real friend I had left. It was because I needed him. If there was one person who could protect me from Hydra, it was him. He was the shield. The one thing that could keep me safe. Because no matter how much I trained, no matter how hard I pushed myself, I would never outrun Hydra. They would always be out there, watching, waiting for me to slip up. I didn't have their resources, their control, or their reach.
But Steve? Steve was different.
He was a walking army. A man who could take down whole battalions with his strength, his skill, and his heart. He had a way of seeing through the chaos, a way of making sense of the world that I never could.
But there was a problem. He might be frozen in ice somewhere. If that was the case, I was on my own.
I couldn't afford to think about that for long. I needed to get myself together, focus on the now. I had to stay hidden, keep moving, keep training—because Hydra would come after me sooner or later. They were always one step behind, but sooner or later, they'd catch up. And when they did, I needed to be ready.
I walked through the streets toward a run-down motel I spotted on the way into the city. It was the kind of place that blended into the background—a cheap, forgotten part of the city, where the door locks were a joke, and the walls looked like they hadn't been touched in decades. But for me, it was perfect. No one asked questions. And I could stay low.
The woman behind the counter didn't look up as I handed her the money. She was busy reading a magazine, probably thinking about anything but the person standing in front of her. I didn't care. I just needed a room.
I took the key, made my way up the stairs, and let myself into Room 12. The place smelled like old carpet and mildew, and the light flickered like it was ready to give up on life. But it didn't matter. I was here for one thing: survival. Not comfort.
I locked the door behind me and collapsed onto the bed. I didn't have time to rest, not really. I had too many things on my mind.
The thought of Hydra tracking me down nagged at me like an itch I couldn't scratch. It was only a matter of time before they realized I was here. And when they did, they'd come at me full force. I could already hear the boots marching, the sound of their drones overhead, the cold, mechanical voices calling out my name. I couldn't outrun them forever. I needed Steve.
I needed his protection. His shield. His strength.
But what if he was still frozen in that ice? What if I was wasting my time? What if there was no one left to help me?
I gripped the edge of the bed, my knuckles turning white. I didn't have answers. But I had to keep going. Because I couldn't survive alone, not like this.
The only thing I could do was stay hidden, keep my profile low, and bide my time. I wasn't helpless—I knew how to fight, how to survive. But there was a limit to how much I could take before Hydra closed in.
I stood up, walking to the small corner of the room where I'd dropped my bag. It wasn't much—just a few supplies, a change of clothes, and the cash I had left after dealing with the gang outside the train station. I needed to focus. I needed to be ready.
Training. That was the next step.
I couldn't afford to sit idle, not when everything depended on being sharp. I pushed my body through the motions, focusing on the basics—push-ups, crunches, squats. Anything to keep the blood flowing, to keep my mind sharp. I couldn't afford to let myself get soft. Not now. Not when Hydra would be closing in any minute.
My body burned, my muscles screamed at me to stop, but I ignored it. I couldn't afford to rest. Not yet. I needed to be strong. I needed to be fast. I needed to survive long enough to find Steve. Because as much as I hated to admit it, he was my only shot at getting out of this mess.
I paused for a moment, dripping with sweat, chest heaving. My mind kept going back to that one thought: I need Steve. He was the only one who could keep me safe. The only one who could protect me from the hell Hydra was about to unleash.
For now, I'd keep training, keep my head down. But I wouldn't stop looking for Steve. I couldn't. Because if Hydra found me before I found him, it would be over. And I wasn't ready for that yet.
I wasn't ready to give up. Not now. Not ever.
So I kept moving. Kept training. And I kept telling myself the same thing: Find Steve. Find safety. Because without him, I didn't know how much longer I could last.