They walked down the metal walkways and stared at the lights of the buildings next to them. Everything was lively— people bustled, loud music blasted, and there was drinking and talking. Bucky, Sam, Cat, and Zemo made their way into an outdoor club. Everything glowed— colored lights reflected off the walls and lit up the area. There were flags and posters with words and numbers meaning various different things.
Inside the small area, Cat saw the people of Madripoor much better than she could from above. They handed bundles of money off between eachother, men and women got a little too close, and people wore things Catarina didn't even know was allowed. There were men with large AK guns standing around watching the crowd. Some people closed up mysterious packages in various colors (Cat could only imagine what was in them). People graffitied walls and mysterious people in sunglasses looked around suspiciously. Some eyes followed the four of them. Everyone here looked shady or dangerous. Everyone.
Zemo looked up at a red arrow pointing to a neon sign that read PRINCESS BAR in glowing pink letters. Also in front of them was a logo of a purple monkey with pointed teeth, roaring angrily. It was surrounded by glowing blue lights. They went through the metal arch it headed— walking into a bar chock full of people, drinking and partying. Above them were a number of yellow lanterns, and geometrically patterned lights. Around them, lit up pictures of various pop art. The crowd stood close together— it was difficult to get through.
"Here we are," said Zemo. Cat looked around. Everyone still looked to be hiding something.
Zemo then spoke in Russian— one of few languages both Cat and Bucky understood.
"Готовы подчиниться, Ветер и Зимний Солдат?" he said. Ready to comply, Wind and Winter Soldier?
They walked up to a bar lit up by LED light. Beside it was a wall of skulls. The bar was surrounded by multiple people, and in the middle was one bartender, and shelves full of expensive looking liquor and drink ingredients. Cat eyed the people around her closely— to examine her surroundings. Just in case.
A burly bartender walked up to them as Zemo and Sam stood at the bar. The Wind and the Winter Soldier stood stoically next to them.
"Hello, Gentlemen." He didn't address Cat, and he didn't seem to be speaking to Bucky either. "Wasn't expecting you, Smiling Tiger."
Sam nodded to the bartender.
"His plans changed," explained Zemo. "We have business to do with Selby."
The bartender turned to Sam. "The usual?" he asked.
Sam nodded again.
The bartender looked a little confused, then turned around to make the drink. Cat watched expressionlessly as he pulled a live snake out of a jar behind him. He then cut the snake open in the middle.
"Ah," said Zemo, a smile on his face. "Smiling Tiger, your favorite."
The bartender took out the snake's heart and put it into a shot glass.
Sam looked at Zemo, then back at the drink and took it from the bar.
"I love these," he said. He raised the glass in thanks to the bartender.
"Cheers, Conrad," said Zemo. Their glasses clinked. Zemo drank. After staring at the glass for a moment, Sam quickly raised it to his lips and drank as well. He gave a thumbs up to the bartender, who stared at him for another moment, then walked away.
A man with a beard and a bald head walked up behind Zemo. He looked angry— but that just seemed to be his face. He had a southern accent.
Zemo turned around as the man began speaking.
"Got word from on high," said the man, to Zemo. "You ain't welcome here."
Zemo smacked his lips, then replied. "I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come and talk to me..." He then gestured to the Wind and the Winter Soldier.
The angry man looked at Bucky. "New haircut?" he asked. Bucky did not answer. "And who's the girl?"
"Ah," said Zemo. "The Wind. Fast as sound— yet silent."
Catarina stared down the man as he glanced at her, then turned his gaze back to Zemo.
"But," continued Zemo, glancing down then back up at the man. "As I was saying— he can either come here... or bring Selby for a chat."
The man looked back at Bucky and Cat, then walked away. Zemo turned to face the two of them.
"A power broker?" said Bucky. "Really?"
"Every kingdom needs its king," said Zemo. "Let's just pray we stay under his radar."
"You know him?" asked Cat.
"Only by reputation," said Zemo. "In Madripoor, he is judge, jury, and executioner." As he spoke, Zemo's eyes followed two men walking through the crowd toward them. They stared holes into Zemo's back as he turned to look at Bucky and Cat.
"Ветер и Зимний Солдат—" he said, "атаковать их." Wind and Winter Soldier— attack.
As he finished his statement the men each put one hand on Zemo's shoulders. Bucky instinctively walked up to one of the men— the one wearing a gray beanie— and twisted his arm off of Zemo's shoulder. Cat's hand's stiffened into a position of turning the second man's arm upside-down— in a way the arm was not meant to twist. Cat and Bucky looked at each other as they dragged the two men away from Zemo. People cleared away as they walked forward, dragging the wincing men with them as their arms were twisted. Bucky and Cat gave each other a look once again, then stared menacingly back at the men. They had communicated their next attack strategy. In one swift movement, the Wind and the Winter Soldier slammed the two men to the ground— Bucky with pure strength, and Cat using almost the full extent of her powers. She knocked the man out.
Cat glanced up for a moment to see appalled people surrounding the scene. Some were taking videos and photos, others stood there, and a few of them backed away from the scene. Cat turned to see more people coming in to fight. Great, she thought. But her face showed no emotion. She marched forward and used her powers to turn one of the men coming toward the two assassins upside-down and slam him into a table. People were being pushed into them left and right. Zemo pushed a man that had come at him to her. He turned around, wide-eyed, but didn't have enough time to even ball his hand into a fist before Cat kicked him using her powers, catching him off-guard, then pushing him into the wall of skulls beside them. She held him as he choked and kicked as he was being held against the wall. Next to her, the Winter Soldier held a man on the bar. He tried and failed to pry Bucky's metal fingers off him.
Cat then heard guns cocking beside her.
Sam walked up to Bucky and put his hand on his shoulder, as a signal for him to stop. Zemo whispered something to him that Cat didn't hear, and Sam took his hand off.
"Oтличная, солдаты," said Zemo, to both Cat and Bucky. Well done, soldiers.
They both let go of the men they were holding.
"Selby will see you now," said the bartender. Bucky and Cat both continued to stare at him. The two men fell to the ground.
Zemo, Cat, Sam, and Bucky walked out of the bar.
a.n.
i know it's not monday, but idk i just really wanted to publish again this week bc im almost finished writing omg
take it as a late christmas present lol
don't forget to vote!
molly ♡
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𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 | bucky barnes
Fanfiction[complete!] "𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘?" "𝐀𝐒 𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐄." 𝐉ames "Bucky" Barnes had been lost for a very, very long time. He didn't know what it was like to take refuge in a person. He was searching for something else. But sometimes, the thi...
