We walked towards the refugees camp and I was well rested enough, but this shoulder was really going to bring me down. This place was supposed to be like an orphanage for young refugees so I was hopeful we'd not face a fight given my condition. It upset me to not be able to carry my own weight, but there wasn't much I could do about it.
We walked in and I saw a sort of play ground for children. Where most kids would have jungle gyms, swings, and other playground equipment these kids had old rotting tables, chairs, and just the brick patio it laid on. They all wore smiles as they kicked around a roughed up soccer ball.
Sam announced he's going to ask around inside the building. I wasn't sure we'd find anyone willing to talk especially if they recognized us. I nudged for Bucky to go with him and he shook his head. I looked at him to tell him it was fine.
"Go on," I said because Zemo was clearly going to confront the kids. "They're kids. I can hold my own."
"Don't do anything stupid." He said looking at me cautiously.
"Wouldn't dream of it." I said rolling my eyes.
He and Sam went off inside and Zemo and I sat down on a wooden box. We watched for a moment as the kids played and it pulled on my heart strings. I had grown up in a place just like this. It didn't make sense back in the day, but it was hardly a normal orphanage. Sure we were all kids without homes, but we grew up never really having a chance of finding a home. HYDRA had a plan for each and everyone of us.
"Reminiscing?" Zemo asked me and I just shook my head.
"Zemo-"
"I meant being a child." He said. "Things always seem so much simpler."
"Yeah well baron, I didn't exactly get to have the same childhood you did. You lived a much more lavish lifestyle than most." I said shaking my head. "Let's not forget who swooped me up that day on my way to the bakery."
"Katia's." He said smiling remembering the bakery. He did take me to get that pastry that day, but what followed after never let sweets taste the same again. "I'm sorry it was you they chose to take that day, if I hadn't of picked you up on your way back to the orphanage you know they would have just taken you in your sleep later that night."
"We we're just kids." I said shaking my head.
"HYDRA didn't care about age, it cared about winning. They saw children as investments, an army they could train as soon as they had enough schooling. One of the many ways they were a sick and twisted terrorist organization." Zemo said rummaging through his pockets.
"Says the man who helped them for over a decade." I said looking away.
"That's one weakness that even HYDRA has in common with even the most innocent of children. Once trust is gained, they let their guard down. Watch." He said getting to his feet.
I stayed put and heard him start to sing a nursery rhyme. It gathered the attention of several of the children. I could tell their guard was up as he neared closer, but Zemo moved slow. He grabbed a nearby chair with a flat top and pulled out a handful of candies from his coat pocket. As he set them down and I realized they were Turkish delights.
"Turkish delights, it was always my sons favorite." He said to a girl who looked more than interested in them. She cautiously reached forward and grabbed one.
"My old friend Donya passed away." He said gently to the girl as she opened the candy. "Did you know her?"
"Yes." The girl nodded as I watched them intently wanting to understand what Zemo was doing.
"I would like to pay my last respects, do you know where her funeral will be?" He asked and the girl eyed him unsure of what to do.
She nodded and I saw Zemo for a smile on his face. He waved her to whisper into his ear and I was actually surprised at how easy he could just lie and manipulate this girl. He handed the handful of candy to the girl and all the kids were now going for a piece. He walked towards me and place a hand on my shoulder indicating it was time to leave.
"That's messed up you know. Most times when you see a grown man handing a bunch of little kids candy it doesn't look to good." I said shaking to my head. "Not to mention lying about knowing Donya and having a son."
"I did have a son, a wife too. I watched my home and my family die all in the same day. The day HYDRA planted a base in my home it was on a ticking time bomb. I wasn't fast enough I suppose, the Avengers didn't seem to be any help." He said and I looked up at him.
"They saved a lot of people that day, not everyone, but a lot more than HYDRA would have." I said knowing this was a touchy situation.
"Perhaps but even the lesser evil is still in fact evil." He said and I just shrugged.
"Did she at least tell you where Donya's funeral is being held?" I asked.
"Come my friend." He said pulling along towards Sam and Bucky who came out of the building. "We have much to discuss."
•
We made it back to the apartment Zemo had for us and we had all come up empty handed. Zemo clearly knew something but seemed to be going for suspense as he remained quiet.
"We've got nothing, it's like no ones talking about Donya." Bucky said and I eyed Zemo who seemed to be focusing on making tea.
"It's because Karli is fighting to protect them. She's the only one they trust so if it's meant to be hidden it's going to stay hidden." Sam said shaking his head. "Those people are refugees, they've been kept out of countries and denied help, they won't turn on the people who helped them rebuild."
"Yeah well there has to be at least something we can get out of them." I eyed Zemo and he looked to me giving me an assuring nod, but I didn't feel so assured.
"For them, at least Karli is doing something." Sam said throwing his arms up.
"Shes no different than anyone else we've fought." Bucky said and I couldn't agree more.
"She is different, she's motivated by different things. She's just going about it all wrong." Sam said in her defense.
"Just cause she's a kid doesn't mean she doesn't know right from wrong. I hate to break it to you but when I was her age I was going through HYDRA's hands for the second time and I could have told you then what she was doing is wrong." I said firmly as I leant against the couch. "I don't care what she thinks she trying to help, she is hurting people and making monsters she doesn't understand. We need to stop her before she makes this worse."
"She needs help." Sam said. "We've got to help her set herself straight, she just wants to protect her people."
"Yeah well so do we, are you going to tell us what that little girl told you Zemo or are you going to keep your mouth shut?" I asked frustratedly as he brought over a tray of tea to us all.
"The funeral is this afternoon." Zemo said and I rose an eyebrow. He hadn't said a word to us for it only being in a few hours.
"You know the Dora's coming for you any minute. In fact, they're probably lurking outside right now. Keep talking." Bucky said and I saw his demeanor change.
"Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli." Zemo said and I wanted to smack him upside the head. He was in no place to pull this. "I prefer to keep my leverage."
Bucky rose to his feet and walked over to Zemo stiffly. He took the tea cup from his hand and sent it across the room. It shattered against the wall as expected and Bucky was now getting in Zemo's face and I looked to Sam knowing we may have to step in.
"You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?" Bucky asked and I quickly rushed to his side and Sam went to Zemo's.
"Bucky don't. He's just going to extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing." I said looking to him firmly.
"Let me make a call." Sam said calmly.
I pulled on Bucky's arm but he stood stiffly.
"You want some cherry blossom tea?" Zemo asked awkwardly.
"No, you got right ahead." Bucky said finally letting me pull him away.
I walked Bucky away towards the couch but my eyes couldn't help but notice two figures outside. I instantly hated someone else in Latvia that wasn't Zemo. I exhaled and looked to Bucky.
"Buck, we've got a problem." I said and he looked down at the street.
"How am I expected to not strangle someone today?" Bucky said groaning.
"Just wait til you hear him talk." I said shaking my head.
We all gathered and went downstairs to the streets to intercept John Walker and his buddy Lamar. I don't know how the hell they found out we were here, but I frankly didn't care. We went down the stairs and they immediately saw us and started in our direction.
"No more keeping us in the dark, and you can start by telling us how you got this one out of prison." He yelled to us.
"He actually did that himself." Bucky responded and I could see John getting up in Bucky's face.
"This better be an unbelievable explanation-"
"You wanna shut your mouth before this entire mission gets declassified. They're are eyes everywhere Walker." I said pointing in his face.
"I know where Karli is." Zemo announced.
"Well where?" He asked now grabbing Zemo's coat.
"All we know is a funeral, it's a Memorial." Sam explained.
"Listen big boy, I get you like the spot light but you're asking to cause a scene if you don't get your hands off us. You are vastly out-skilled and outnumbered so I suggest to cut it out." I said under my breath.
"Then we'll take her by surprise." John said releasing Zemo's coat.
"No I want to talk to her alone." Sam said adamantly as well started to walk out of the busy street.
"I'm not losing her again!" John argued.
"The person closest to her died, she's vulnerable. If there was any time to reason with her it's now." Sam insisted.
"No, stop! Hold on, stop okay?" John said once again stopping us in the middle fo another street to just yell and cause attention. "I think we are way past reasoning with her. Unless you forgot she blew up a building with people still in it."
"Sam, if you walk in cold she could kill you." Lamar said finally speaking up.
"If I walk in there hot the whole op goes wrong and more people will die." Sam said and it got quiet for a moment between us all.
"You gunna let him do this?" John asked looking right to Bucky. "You're going to let your partner walk into a room with a super soldier alone?"
"He's dealt with a lot worse and he's not my partner." Bucky said shaking his head. "If anything I don't call the shots around here. She does."
John looked to me and I could see his look of disapproval. He knew I wasn't ever going to operate in his favor. I hated his guts probably more than anyone else hear and he was well aware of it.
"I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma okay?" Sam said cutting in knowing my mind was just coming up with a list of some not so nice responses. "This is right in my wheelhouse."
"Yeah I know. I know those soldiers which is why I know this is a bad idea." John said angrily.
"John, if he can talk her down it might be worth a try." Lamar said sounding much calmer.
"Listen, I'm sure this will all end in an agreeable conclusion. My associate is up ahead." Zemo said and we all turned. I saw the little girl from earlier today looking back to us.
"A child?" Bucky asked softly looking to me.
"Listen he's onto something, just trust him I guess. We've got a bigger idiot to lug around now." I said shaking my head.
The girl lead us through some alley ways and just as I was getting worried we finally made it to a building. She opened a door and point to the other doorway inside and Zemo nodded.
"Karli is in there." Zemo said as the girl went into the next room.
Before any of us could even respond he was handcuffed to a bit of machinery. John slammed him into it and shoved cuffs around his wrists securely.
"Hey, you've got 10 minutes." John said looking to Sam who was closest to the doorway. "Then we're doing things my way."
John warned him but he was out of his damned mind. To talk down a psycho terrorist needed more than 10 minutes of discussion.
"Val, come on." Sam said nudging his head to follow him.
"Me?" I asked him because he knew I hated this girl.
"Yes you. You said it yourself you were her age once. You're a super soldier and you just want to do something right because of it. If anyone can reason with her maybe it's us." Sam said and I looked to Bucky.
He shrugged and I could see he wasn't happy to be left alone with the three people he hated most right now. He gave me a small nod and I nodded back to him. I turned around to face Sam and I let out a huff of air.
"Alright walk." I said agreeing reluctantly.
I kept my head low as we walked and we made it to an upstairs area of the house. We came to a window that overlooked the memorial going on. About a hundred people stood in the room around a casket lit by candles. It didn't take long to spot Karli. Not only was she sporting her large red and curly hair but she was also making some sort of speech.
She almost instantly noticed us standing above her. I could see her tense but I tried to wear a calm expression versus the urge to fight her. She was holding a child that she quickly handed off before continuing her speech as her eyes watched us carefully.
"She taught me that we have to do for each other, because they won't. We know who they are. They imposed struggle and hardships onto us. They labeled us as criminals for pushing back. The struggle is what brings us all together. People who have nothin' in common, for we are after all simply one world one people." She said powerfully. "So live accordingly."
We watched as everyone laid their flowers on her body. It was sad to watch someone so loved be mourned for by her dearest followers, everyone here hurt deeply. In the same breath this was the woman who planted a seed for a rebellion we needed to end.
Sam nudged me and as the room started to clear out he lead me to the stairs. We went down them and waited for the last person to leave. Karli was left alone and had her back to us. As Sam went into the room the sound of our footsteps became evident.
"I saw you back there." She said calmly.
"We came alone. We just want to talk." Sam said flatly.
"Bold of you." She said with a small chuckle.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Sam said solemnly.
"Don't condescend to me. I'm not a child." She snapped.
"I'm not. I know what it's like to lose someone. Believe me." He said defensively.
"You don't, not like this." She said looking down to Donya's body.
"Karli, it doesn't need to turn into a war." Sam said cautiously.
"They started a war as soon as they kicked us out of our new homes and onto the streets. People all around the world need me. Millions of them." She exclaimed.
"I can't speak for millions, but I understand you. I understand your frustration." He said trying to consolidate her.
"No you don't, stop acting like you understand me." She argued.
"Maybe so, but you have to admit someone like me would understand how helpless you feel." I said finally piping ups
"You want me to stop cause people are getting hurt right? That's what this is all about I'm sure." She said staring to pace the room. "What if I'm making the world a better place?"
"It's not a better place if you're killing people; it's just different." I said shaking my head. "I won't sit here and pretend live I've been in your shoes, because I haven't. But I've been 19 and scared before. You've got heart Karli, but if you keep up like this you're going to be labeled and taken out as a terrorist."
"I just want peace for my people." She said coldly.
"There was never a peaceful part in your demands. It was give you want you want or your kill to take it. I'm sorry, but the world doesn't work like that. You chose to take that serum, I didn't. There are things in this world that cannot be solved by punching your way through. That serum is nothing anyone should ever want to take, it's a power that comes with more cost than it's worth and you're just digging a deep hole dragging more people down with you." I said crossing my arms.
"We know a guy who knows more about super soldiers than anyone else on the planet. He says you're a supremacist." Sam said cutting in.
"Me?" She asked almost as if she didn't believe it.
"Yeah." Sam said nodding his head
"That's ridiculous. Everything I do is to end supremacy. These corporations and the beasts who run them, they're the supremacists." She said looking between us as if she was trying to explain to us what we needed to know.
"So let me ask you. You have more serum right?" Sam asked her and I saw her stop to think.
"So?" She asked.
"Are you going to increase your army?" He asked looking to her and I saw her eyes falter. "You're killing innocent people Karli."
"There not innocent. They're roadblock in my journey and I'd kill them again if I had to." She said harshly.
"Wow." I said raising my eyebrows.
"No, no, no. I didn't mean it like that. You tricked me into sounding like-"
"Like what?" Sam asked her.
"The people I'm fighting are trying to take your home Sam. Why are you here instead of stopping them?" Karli asked.
"You know my sisters waiting for that exactly same answer. We are not your enemy. I agree with your fight I just can't get with the way you're fighting it." He said shaking his head looking down at the girl who looked as though things were starting to click. "I'm sure she wouldn't either."
"The last person who decided to fight for what he thought was right and in the best interest of everyone else wiped out half the universe. Just because your passionate about something doesn't mean you need to take it by force." I said and her eyes hit the ground. "We all lost someone 5 years ago and we just got finished bringing everyone back. We want everyone back home, that's why we put everything on the line to bring back everyone. You're making a mistake we can't fix if you don't stop."
"Karli Morgenthau you are under arrest." I heard and none other than Captain pea brain walked out shield and all.
"So this is what that was?" She asked tensing up.
"No Karli, just wait." I pleaded.
"Tricking me until your back up arrived." She said as John stormed towards her.
"We had enough time to talk. Why don't you-"
She socked him right in the face and booked it out the door. We all chased after her, but she was insanely fast as we were. Sam didn't last long because he was only as fast as his human feet could take him. I almost caught up to her, but someone tried to stop me chasing her. They had grabbed my shoulder which caught me off guard.
Bucky kept chasing and I shoved the man off of me. I followed where he went, but I ran into Sam who looked lost. He was out of breath and I was too. Bucky came running around the corner disappointed to see us.
"I lost her." He said and I just shook my head.
"She was coming around why the hell did you let him barge in like that?" I asked.
"I thought you guys were in trouble I don't-"
We heard the sound of glass crashing down the hall and we all started to rush. We rushed into a room to see Zemo knocked out and John standing there over crushed glass vials of serum. I'd recognize that blue liquid anywhere. Whatever the hell just happened wasn't good.