Lead the Way // TFATWS

07

"Look, it's 20 miles to the airport. You guys need a ride." He opened the back door. "Guys. Ma'am. Gary, stop." The three exchanged a look and reluctantly got in. Nessa was hoping for a quiet ride, but, unfortunately for her, John kept talking. "Okay, so we've got eight Super Soldiers on a bulk supply run. Why?"

Sam let out a sigh. "They say their mission is to get things back to the way it was during The Blip. Maybe they're just trying to help."

"They had a funny way of showing it," Bucky and Nessa said.

"That serum doesn't exactly have a great track record," John stated, looking between Bucky and Nessa. "No offense."

Nessa shifted with a frown. "Well, we need to figure out where they're going."

"How'd you track them here?" Sam asked. "The Flag Smashers?"

"Uh, no, we didn't track them, we tracked you, uh, through Redwing," Lemar replied, scratching the back of his head.

"You hacked my tech?"

"Sorry," John said with a chuckle. "It's not exactly hacking. It's government property." He gestured to himself. "Kind of the government." He chuckled, then glanced at Bucky. "Does he always just stare like that?"

"You get used to it."

"Okay, look," he cleared his throat, "you know, things have gotten kind of, uh..."

"Chaotic," Lemar finished, glancing at John.

"Yeah. Well, the GRC, they're doing the best they can to get things up and running smoothly, post Blip."

"That's enough," Nessa said.

"What right do you have to tell me to be quiet? Don't you know who I am? You're Russian, right?"

Nessa's gaze turned lightly menacing. "What does where I'm from have to do with this? I know exactly who you are, John Walker, and I pity anyone who has to ask a question like you just did."

The two stared at each other with narrowed eyes.

Bucky glanced at his wife as he took her hand and she gave a sharp nod.

Lemar continued. "Reactivating citizenship, social security, health care. Basically just managing resources for the refugees who were displaced by the return."

"The Global Repatriation Council does all that," Sam said. "I get that. So why exactly are you two here?"

"Well, they provide the resources and we keep things stable."

"Yeah, violent revolutionaries aren't usually good for anyone's cause," John added.

Sam smirked lightly. "Usually said by the people with the resources."

"We got a lot of resources. If you joined with us, we could..."

"No," Bucky and Nessa interrupted.

Lemar gestured between the three Avengers. "I got mad respect for each of y'all. But you were getting your asses kicked till we showed up."

Nessa frowned. "Who are you?"

"Lemar Hoskins."

"We just saw you hanging out of a helicopter in full-on tactical gear. We're gonna need more than just "Lemar Hoskins"," Sam told him.

"I'm Battlestar. John's partner."

""Battlestar"? Stop the car!" Bucky ordered.

Gary stopped the truck, Bucky got out, and John looked between the three as he said, "Look, I... I get it, okay? I get the attitude, I do. You didn't think that the shield was gonna end up here. I get it, Bucky, Nessa. And I'm... I'm not trying to be Steve. I'm not trying to replace Steve. I'm just trying to be the best Captain America I can be. That's it."