Gemini had Coby retrieve her Pensieve and poured a bottle of Dreamless Sleep Potion down Barnes' throat, then began extracting his memories strand by strand.
The silver memory threads came out rough. Normal ones would be like stretched silk—smooth and even. But Barnes' memories were tangled like a ball of yarn.
Gemini looked disgustedly at the chaotic mess in the Pensieve. She had to extract them all first, then untangle them bit by bit.
Gemini told Steve to watch his friend. After all, he was trained—if he suddenly woke while she was organizing his memories, that wouldn't be good.
Seeing Steve use leather straps to tie his good friend firmly to the bed, Gemini couldn't help giving a thumbs up. What a "close" friend!
Gemini began slowly stirring the memories in the Pensieve, letting the tangled mess gradually separate. As the magical runes around the Pensieve lit up, the broken memory fragments gradually connected.
Finally, only a few small knots remained. Gemini used her wand to pick up the tangled spots, gently smoothing them out. Only then did she sigh in relief, stuffing all the memories back into Barnes' head. She then took out the potion Steve had used for recovery, carefully dripping a few drops into his mouth before letting Steve untie his friend.
Coby appeared in the room. Tony had found a reliable doctor and paid big money. They could give Barnes a thorough examination tonight, and it was all arranged—no outsiders would know.
Gemini didn't bother cleaning up. She had Steve carry his friend again, and they walked out of the shop. Happy was already waiting at the door.
The car slowly entered a hospital. Under cover of darkness, Steve carried Barnes into the hospital building while JARVIS quietly modified the surveillance footage.
"Does he have any metal objects? He needs an MRI." Stephen Strange scribbled on his clipboard while pulling at Barnes' eyelids.
Steve hesitated, then rolled up Barnes' sleeve, revealing his left arm.
"Oh, cool. Can it be removed?" Stephen raised an eyebrow. "If not, we probably can't do it."
Tony curled his lip. "Let me see."
Pushing Steve aside, Tony ripped Barnes' shirt apart and studied the connection point carefully. "Pretty sophisticated. This connects to nerves. I can remove it, but it'll be painful."
Gemini said indifferently, "Just remove it. Even if you chopped off his hand with a knife right now, he wouldn't feel it."
Steve opened his mouth but said nothing. It was fine—he wouldn't die anyway. That hand was installed by HYDRA—what if there was something bad inside? Remove it!
Seeing Steve nod at him, Tony put on an Iron Man suit glove and flexed his fingers. Various tools appeared on the glove's exterior as he began carefully disassembling.
Dr. Strange glanced over and continued scribbling. "Good God, poor thing."
It didn't take long for Tony to remove Barnes' metal arm. At Steve's request, he took it back for testing. After all, with HYDRA equipment, you couldn't be too careful.
Soon Barnes was wheeled into the examination room. After a series of tests, Dr. Strange walked over with a stack of reports.
"From these reports, his problem isn't in his brain. Probably still mental issues. I can't help with that." He handed the test results to Steve, who glanced at them and passed them to Tony. Tony took them with a grimace and flipped through. "That's it then. We're taking him. Doctor, don't tell anyone."
"No problem. I'm on night duty—just been sleeping." Dr. Strange shrugged and walked away.
"Let's go back to the shop then." Tony pocketed the test results and led the way out of the hospital.
Steve still carried Barnes on his shoulder, following behind.
Gemini looked at the pushable gurney, opened her mouth, but said nothing. Since he'd already picked him up, it was just a few steps. Whatever.
Back at the shop, Tony said it was late and he wouldn't go home—Pepper was on a business trip anyway. He'd stay at the All-Purpose Shop for the night. Gemini said Barnes would wake tomorrow, so he could stay and watch the show.
Steve helplessly carried Barnes back to his room. Gemini repeatedly reminded him to bring Barnes to the cellar tied up when he woke in the morning. Though she'd given him medicine, with so many memories from birth to now, he'd definitely have a period of confusion. He'd get through it, but without restraints he'd hurt himself.
Steve naturally promised confidently that nothing would go wrong.
So when Gemini was woken by crashing sounds, she walked out of her room bewildered. "Coby? Are we renovating?"
Coby instantly appeared before Gemini. "Miss, it's not renovation. Steve's friend woke up. Tony and Steve are trying to control him, but it doesn't look effective."
Gemini felt her head fill with black lines. What was wrong with Steve? So unreliable! She'd reminded him last night!
Hearing the house-demolishing sounds outside, Gemini turned back to her room expressionlessly. "Coby, remember to tally the bill. Payment required within a week. If he can't pay, have Steve ask the bald guy for wages. Hmph, let him learn!"
"Yes, Miss." Coby disappeared gleefully.
Finally, Tony hadn't completely forgotten he was a wizard. He used a Binding Curse to tie the man up, stopping the rampaging Barnes.
"Yawn~" Tony couldn't help yawning. "Mate, I need to catch up on sleep. You should take him downstairs and tie him up. Look at this mess."
Steve guiltily said he'd take him down immediately. Coby listed the compensation bill in record time, telling Steve Gemini's words in front of Tony, making Tony laugh so hard his sleepiness was half gone.
"No problem, big guy. If it's not enough, I'll help you collect wages from the bald guy! He can even default on Captain America's pay! That's something!" Tony laughed. "I really have to go back now."
With that, Tony went back to his room laughing.
Steve had no choice but to pick up the tightly bound Barnes and walk downstairs.
After Gemini quietly enjoyed her delicious breakfast, she leisurely headed to the cellar.
Entering the room, she saw Steve earnestly talking while Barnes was tied up tightly, huddled by the wall, staring blankly behind Steve without saying a word.
"What's the situation?" Gemini asked curiously.
"Gemini! You're finally here. Come see what's wrong with him. He's been like this since he calmed down." Steve said anxiously.
Gemini walked over and used detection magic to examine him. "He's fine now. No problems. Probably something in those organized memories that he can't face." She released Barnes' restraints. "You two have a good talk. There's no other solution anyway."
Gemini prepared to leave. Since he was fine, why stay?
"Wait." Barnes' hoarse voice called out, stopping Gemini.
"Bucky! You spoke! Look at me! It's me!" Steve rushed over excitedly.
"I know, Steve. You go out. I want to talk to this lady." Bucky's voice was hoarse but his eyes determined.
"Is there something I can't hear?" Steve frowned.
Bucky showed a faint smile. "Yes. I know what this place is. HYDRA has files on this place, they just can't find the exact location. I have something I want to commission from this shop owner."
Steve looked at Bucky uncertainly. Under his determined gaze, Steve still retreated, walking out reluctantly with frequent backward glances, closing the door.
Gemini sat in a chair, looking at Bucky still huddled in the corner. "What do you want to commission? For Steve's sake, I won't charge you the $100,000 consultation fee."
Bucky smiled bitterly. "I know you're friends with Tony Stark, right?"
Gemini snorted lightly. "HYDRA's files are quite complete."
Bucky was silent for a moment, then began slowly recounting everything—from falling off the train, being found by HYDRA, the experiments, brainwashing, all the way to receiving the mission to kill the Starks.
Gemini had been sitting fine, but hearing Bucky say he'd killed Howard and Maria, she immediately stood up, frowning at Bucky, pacing back and forth in the cellar. This was difficult—one was her knight, one was her good friend, and between them lay the hatred of murdered parents!
"Didn't you meet any resistance?" Gemini suddenly thought of something and asked.
Bucky's face also showed confusion. "Nothing at all. They seemed to know something, kept smiling at me. Though I briefly regained consciousness, I still couldn't resist the brainwashing."
"That's not right. How could Maria not resist?" Gemini's frown deepened. "Coby! Bring me Seeing the Future Through the Fog! And that handwritten book! The Price of Prophecy!"
"Yes, Miss!" Before Coby's voice faded, both books appeared before Gemini.
"Also, bring Maria's portrait. I have questions!" Gemini said while rapidly flipping through the book.
Coby left as ordered. Gemini rustled through the pages. "I knew it."
"What do you know? Is there more to this?" Bucky excitedly got up, his missing arm making him stumble.
"Shut up! It's not your turn to speak!" Gemini scolded unceremoniously, then flipped through the handwritten book, finding a particular page and reading word by word with her finger.
Clang clang clang!
"Gemini! I brought Maria's portrait! What do you need her for?" Tony's voice came from outside. Before he could ask again, the door banged open.
"Put the portrait down and get out!" Gemini said coldly.
Tony looked at the serious Maria in the portrait, the cold-faced Gemini, and the guilty-looking Bucky in the corner, not understanding what was happening.
"Get out..." Tony had just started speaking when Maria stopped him. "Listen, Tony. Go out first."
Tony could only purse his lips, set the portrait on the table against the wall, and walked out.
As soon as the door closed, Gemini cast a Muffliato. "Now there are only three of us in the room. They can't hear anything we say. Maria, I have to ask—this is the price, isn't it?" Gemini looked seriously at the portrait.
Maria looked apologetically at Bucky in the corner and nodded solemnly. "That's right. This is the price we paid to preserve our son's life."
Gemini's frown deepened completely. What kind of future could make Maria and Howard pay such a price? Being killed by their own friend?
"I know you saw something you can't tell, but the problem now is they've met. It's very difficult."
"It's fine. I'll talk to Tony." Maria said gently, then looked at Bucky. "Sorry, Sergeant Barnes. We had no choice but to have you do it. I know this has caused you great distress, but we really had no other option."
Bucky shook his head excitedly. "Don't say that. It was me—I'm a murderer! Not just you two—my hands are stained with innocent blood!"
Maria sighed. "It's all in the past now. Please don't worry about our situation."
Bucky wanted to say more, but Maria had already looked away toward Gemini. "Let Tony come back. I'll wait for him at home."
Gemini nodded, lifted the spell, and waved her wand. The door opened, and Tony and Steve both tumbled into the room.
"Really?!" Gemini was furious. "Go home, Tony! Take this book with you. Maria wants to talk to you. After she's done, read this handwritten book carefully. Remember to return it when you're finished!"
Tony jumped up and caught the book Gemini threw, looking at the title. "I'm not a fortune teller. Why should I read this?"
Gemini impatiently shooed him away. "You'll know when you get back! Go!"
Tony shrugged, waved the book at Steve. "I'm heading back then, big guy. Don't worry about your friend's hand—I'll make him a better one later! Better not keep HYDRA's junk!"
Steve smiled and said goodbye. "No rush!"
After Tony left completely, Gemini let Steve in, closed the door, and delivered news that nearly made Steve collapse.
"This—this is impossible?! How could this be?!" Steve could hardly believe what he'd heard. His lost and found friend was the killer of another friend?!
Bucky sadly shrank back into the corner. "It's true, Steve. I need to face trial."
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