Sign of the Times

05

BUCHAREST

Bucky and Connie were in civvies at a fruit store. He bought some plums and spoke in Romanian. Connie was looking over some strawberries.

(assumed translation: How are they? Are they good? Give me six, thank you.)

Bucky glanced at Connie. "If you want strawberries, I can get them for you."

She met his eyes. "Would you?"

"Of course."

Connie grabbed some strawberries and put them in the bag. She smiled at her husband.

Bucky returned her smile as he handed over the money.

In a black cap and casual jacket and a blue shirt and jeans, Bucky and Connie walked along, scanning around. Across the street, they spotted a twenty-something vender at a news-stand watching them, mainly focused on Bucky. Bucky glanced away, then looked back at the vender who was still watching them. The vender ran from his kiosk. Bucky went over and picked up a paper. On the front page there was surveillance-photos of a man and woman and the headline: 'Winter Soldier și Impossible Girl cautat pentru Bombardmentul din Viena'. Bucky glanced around tensely.

"What is it?" Connie asked as she walked up to him.

Bucky met her eyes and said in a quiet, rushed tone, "We need to get back to the apartment."

"Why?" She noticed the article. "Oh no. If the hospital finds out-"

"We'll just have to prove our innocence. Come on, doll."

Connie ran a hand along her stomach and Bucky took her hand.

---

In his dark blue armored suit with his shield on his arm, Steve was in a small apartment. He looked around. There was a mattress with disheveled covers and various bits of cheap looking furniture. The kitchen and bedroom were in the same room. Steve found a couple notebooks on top of the fridge. He picked one up and opened it. There were tabs of varying colors sticking out from amongst the pages.

Steve found a picture of Bucky and Connie.

Sam over the radio said, "Heads up, Cap. German Special Forces, approaching from the south."

"Understood," Steve replied. Bucky and Connie were standing behind him.

Steve slowly turned to face them and asked, "Do you two know me?"

Bucky stared at him as he replied, "You're Steve. We read about you in a museum."

"They've set the perimeter," Sam warned.

"I know you're nervous," Steve said. "And you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying."

Connie shook her head. "We weren't in Vienna. We don't do that anymore."

"They're entering the building," Sam informed.

"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive."

"That's smart," Bucky said. "Good strategy."

"They're on the roof," Sam informed. "I'm compromised."

Armed cops ran upstairs.

Steve shook his head and said, "This doesn't have end in a fight, Buck, Connie."

Outside the door, a cop readied a battering ram.

"It always ends in a fight," Bucky replied in a tired tone.

"Five seconds," Sam warned.

"You two pulled me from the river. Why?" Steve asked.

"I don't know," Bucky and Connie answered.