"Where the hell have you two been?" Sam asked as Catherine and Bucky returned into the area where the party was being held
They both looked at each, trying to come up with a lie. "Catherine, wasn't feeling well. So, she went to lay down."
"Did you find Nagel?" Catherine asked Sharon.
"I did. We need to take a little field trip though." She answered.
Their 'field trip' was to a harbor that was used to ship items on boats. There had to be at least 200 containers. "We're looking for container 4261." Sharon told them.
It took them a few minutes, but they found it. They opened the container with their weapons drawn, but it was empty. Zemo walked to the end of it, his hand tracing along the wall. He pushed on it and it opened to reveal stairs. The sound of a song playing could be heard, so someone had to be home. They preceded up the stairs cautiously, not knowing who would be inside.
It was some sort of makeshift lab. She could make out vials filled with liquid that she hoped wasn't the serum. They all kept their guns raised as they searched the room for Dr. Nagel. They finally saw him with his back turned and he was bent over doing something. Zemo grabbed the needle of the record turning it off causing the guy to spin around.
"Dr. Nagel?" Same asked.
"Who are you? What do you want?" He asked. The guy was jumpy, which she assumed came with the occupation he had.
"We know you created the super Solider serum." Sam answered.
Dr. Nagel brushed past Sam, but stopped when he saw Bucky. Fear spread across his face.
"You know who he is right?" Sam asked. "This is Baron Zemo. I know you've heard of him, too. You seem like a pretty smart guy. So you better become conversational real quick."
"How about a counter proposal?" Nagel asked as Sam shoved him against a wall. "Make me a better offer and I'll talk."
Catherine scoffed. "You're making an illegal substance and you want us of all people to negotiate with you?"
"Guys. We have company." They heard Sharon say through their com.
Bucky grabbed Nagel and threw him on a chair and pointed a gun at his head. He was quiet until Bucky fired a warning shot.
"Okay, okay." Nagel said. "I was brought into HYDRA's Winter Soldier program to pick up their work after the five failed test subjects in Siberia. When HYDRA fell, I was recruited by the CIA. They had blood samples from an American test subject with semi-stable traces of serum in his system. After much labor, I was able to isolate the necessary compounds in his blood. I was a god. I did what no other scientist since Erskine was able to do. But mine was going to be different. No clunky machines or jacked up bodies. Mine was going to be subtle, optimized, perfect."
Catherine's eyes widened as he spoke. Was this the guy they wanted to make a serum for her? Then there was a test subject. Was it Isaiah? He was the only other known super Solider left minus Bucky.
Nagel looked at her, making her very uncomfortable. "You were to be the next person Hydra used the serum on. You had the right training and brains. They just needed the strength."
"How have we never heard about this?" Sam asked.
"Because... Before I was able to complete my work, I turned to dust. Then when I returned, it was five years later, program had been abandoned, so I came here. The Power Broker was more than happy to fund the recreation of my work." Nagel explained.
Thank God this guy got blipped.
"How many vials are there?" Catherine asked.
"Twenty."
Shit. They had only encountered eight of the Soliders. To think there could be twenty super soldiers on the loose was a scary thought. They had to find this group. She listened as he explained that Karli Morgenthau stole all twenty vials and he had no idea where she was.
"Is there any serums in this lab?" Bucky asked pressing the gun against his temple.
"No." He answered.
Great. So they were basically back to square one.
"Guys! We're seriously out of time!" Sharon yelled as she came inside the lap. It all happened so quickly. Zemo pulled a gun out of nowhere and fired it at Nagel, killing him.
"No!" Sam yelled.
Catherine heard a loud bang and felt her body fly backwards. Her body connected with the ground, a groan escaping her mouth. She attempted to sit up to survey the situation, but all she could see was fire. What the hell just happened? She felt someone wrap their arms around her, pulling her up to stand. Bucky. There was no time to check and see if everyone was okay. The place was going to blow any second as they filed out of the container.
"All right! Wait for my signal." Bucky yelled as she stood on his left side. Then the gunshots began to ring. They were too exposed in the position there were in. "Go! I'll cover you." Bucky said.
She didn't look back, she just ran and took cover. When it was Bucky's turn to get to safety, she pulled her gun out and began to fire. Behind her she could hear Bucky and Sam arguing about which direction they should have gone.
"Are they always like this?" Sharon asked.
"Pretty much." Catherine told her. "Guys. Come on!"
Another explosion erupted and they were flown back again. They all looked around frantically wondering where it came from. Then they saw Zemo fighting the guys who had been shooting at them. He was distracting them so they could get to safety. They ran for their lives through the unfamiliar sea of containers. Gunshots were going off all around them. Sam opened the door to one, shoving Sharon and her inside while Bucky took care of the shooters.
"You good?" Bucky asked her as they walked to the other end of the container.
"Yeah, you know. Just another day at the office." She joked, trying to make light of the situation. They opened the door just as Zemo rolled up in a car that she assumed had been stolen. Well, what's one more law they break.
"You're going back to jail." Sam told him as they approached the car.
"Do you want to find Karli or not?" Zemo asked.
"He's right." Bucky said opening the door so Catherine could slide into the backseat. "And there's three of us and twenty of them."
Sam sighed annoyed. "Fine, but if you try that shit again...."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Zemo said.
"Well, that was one hell of a reunion." Sharon said.
"Come back to the States with us." Sam told her.
"I can't. Just get me that pardon you promised me." Sharon said.
"Well, it's a good thing my rich brother had some damn good lawyers. I'll be in touch with them." Catherine promised.
Sam took his seat behind Bucky and paused. "You're not going to move your seat up, are you?"
"Nope." Bucky said.
Catherine smirked and stifled a laugh. Just like old times. She had no idea where their next destination would be. All she knew was they needed to get out of Madripoor before someone else tried to kill them. In the back of her mind was Dr.Nagel. Now that he was dead, would that last remaining members of Hydra come after them? Or the CIA? Or this Power Broker. The target on their backs just became bigger, if that was even possible.
"You okay?" Catherine heard Bucky ask Sam.
"Just thinking about all the shit Sharon had to go through. And Nagel referring to the American test subject like Isaiah wasn't even a real person. Just makes me wonder how many people have to get steamrolled to make way for this hunk of metal." Sam answered.
She knew the history behind the shield wasn't the best, but it was still her father's creation. He intended it to be used for good not all this.
"Well, it depends on who you ask. That hunk of metal saved a lot of lives." Bucky told him.
"Yeah, I get that. All right." Sam sighed. "Maybe I made a mistake."
"You did." Bucky said bluntly.
"James..." Catherine warned. "Sam, you made a decision based on what you thought was best. It was a hard decision, not one I would ever want to make."
"Maybe I shouldn't have put it in a museum. I should have destroyed it." Sam said.
Catherine's eyes widened. "M-Maybe not destroy it. If we get it back, legally of course, I'll take it. I'll keep it safe. Please, I just want something of my dad's."
Sam's phone rang and Catherine leaned back in her seat, facing Bucky. She could feel a headache forming as she leaned her chin against her hand. She felt Bucky gently touch her knee. "Hey, what's going on Catherine?"
"Just thinking about my dad." She admitted. "He was so damn proud to have worked with Steve. I just wonder what he would think about all this."
"I only met your dad a handful of times, but he seemed like a good man. He was cocky and arrogant, but good and he only wanted to help." Bucky said. "I remember right before Steve took the serum, we went to the World Expo and your dad was there presenting one of his latest inventions. It was a flying car. He did manage to get it to fly, but after a few seconds it stopped. I thought the invention was cool, but I couldn't help but think your dad was an idiot."
Catherine couldn't help but laugh. Bucky leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "And here I am, 80 years later, married to that idiots' daughter. Who also happens to be an idiot at times."
"I guess it runs in the family." She joked. "How would 1940s Bucky win my heart?"
Bucky pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "Well, first I would make sure I was wearing my Army uniform, because the ladies loved it."
"Oh did they?" She asked with singsong voice.
"They did. I would pick you up like the gentleman I am. Maybe take you the movies or dinner. Then we would drive around and park somewhere, private. I would kiss you endlessly. I would drop you off at your house, very late to make your parents mad." He explained.
"Wow. And that would impress me?" Catherine mocked him.
"It would, but it didn't. I would use the whole they're about to ship me off to war narrative."
Catherine laughed. "You are something else James Buchanan Barnes."
"Sergeant Barnes. I would make you call me Sergeant Barnes." He corrected her.
"You are awful. If I lived in the 40s, I wouldn't have looked at you twice." She said hitting his chest playfully.
"You think so? Hmmm, okay."
"You two are disgustingly adorable." Zemo said, interrupting them.
Sam hung up the phone and they all three brought their attention to him. "They found Madani...dead. She died in Riga, a city near the Baltic Sea."
"I have a place we can go. I, for one, am looking forward to coming face to face with Karli." Zemo told them. Of course he had a place to go. However, what made her nervous was his eagerness to meet Karli. She hoped he didn't have plans to kill her.
Catherine had to admit she was in love with Latvia as they landed in its Capital. She found the town's cobblestone roads and multiple colored buildings almost enchanting. The city reminded her of something out of a children's story book. It was a place she wouldn't mind visiting after this all over. They walked down the road with Zemo as he explained what happened to Sokovia after the ordeal with Ultron.
"I heard what became of Sokovia. Cannibalized by its neighbors before the land was cleared of rubble, erased from the map. I don't suppose any of you bothered visiting the memorial?" They were all quiet. Bucky and Sam had nothing to do with Sokovia. This was on her and the other Avengers. She didn't even know there was memorial for the victims which made the guilt she had even worse.
"Of course not. Why would you? We are here." Zemo said as they stopped in front of a building.
"I'm going to go on a walk." Bucky told them. "Cat, would you like to join me?"
Catherine looked at him suspiciously. Something was up, but he didn't want Sam or Zemo to know. "Sure. Might be nice for a little privacy."
"You good?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. I'll see you guys in a bit." Bucky said, nodding his head for Catherine to follow him.
Catherine walked along side him. He was looking for something. "Mind telling me what's going on?"
Bucky leaned down, picking a small ball. When he picked it up, he showed it to her. She examined the black ball in her hand. And then she recognized the writing. It was from Wakanda. "Uh oh."
She figured someone from Wakanda would eventually catch up to them after the news of Zemo's escape. He had killed their King after all. They walked further into the city, finding more of the small balls.
"You dropped something." Bucky called out as they looked around. They both stopped when they sensed someone behind them. When they turned around, they came face to face with a very pissed off Ayo.
"I'm here for Zemo." She said in the Wakanda language.