"Lovers tiff?" Zemo smirks to himself as he slides into the empty space at the bar. He didn't even have to do anything for them to start on one another, he smugly thinks, tries not to smirk when he turns his head.
"None of ya damn business." Sam scoffs. He turns to order a water, hoping it will clear his head, if only a little.
"Of course." Zemo purses his lips to keep from smirking, still, but takes the hint. Well, mostly. "She thinks you don't trust her."
Sam turns to glare at him. "What did I just say?"
"I was just... Commenting."
"Well, don't."
Sam wants to say more, wants to grab him by the scruff and demand just what the fuck he was trying to pull with Bucky and Selby. He doesn't, not now, simply keeps it waiting for the right time. Preferably, when they're alone. Without Bucky, if that will be at all possible.
"Hey, guys." Sharon suddenly appears behind the two of them and waits for them to turn and face her before telling them, "Found our man. Let's go."
"What about Bucky?" Sam asks when Sharon doesn't.
"She's outside, waiting for us."
Sam simply nods and makes sure Zemo is in front of him as they follow the blonde through the crowds.
[A Few Minutes Later.]
The first thing Sam notices is that Bucky has thrown on a simple (but smart) black blazer. Actually, the first thing Sam notices are the black leather gloves she's wearing and it makes him feel like even more of a tactless asshole. Seriously, he thinks, how the hell did he become a counselor for war veterans?
Bucky is silent again, has been since they left the gallery with Sharon. Sam notices how she's withdrawn again, gone back into herself again. Sam thinks it's his fault.
Zemo doesn't pay much attention to Sam and the blonde talking, only notes when she says they have "borrowed time" and he knows that this is finally it. He can finally start tying off loose ends from his work.
Sharon keeps watch as the three of them open the metal crate and walk inside. Sam almost calls out to the blonde, is more than confused when he sees that it's empty. However, as Bucky walks passed them both and closer to the opposite end, her sensitive ears pick up the unmistakable sound of music. She doesn't recognise the song, but it doesn't sound so bad to her.
Bucky doesn't say anything, simply pulls off her left glove and reaches out into the darkness with metal fingers. Sam and Zemo exchange a look after watching her pull open a hidden door. Bucky stops, turns to face them both and holds out her metal hand for them to go first.
Sam notes the slight arch of her brow, the attitude in her smug little smile and huffs while holding back a smirk, because at least she hasn't lost that, he thinks. He takes the lead without a word, and Zemo shuffles in after Bucky gives him a little shove.
They find the not-so little makeshift lab, and Bucky hadn't known his name before, but she instantly recognises the scrawny-looking man they meet. His eyes are wide when he finally notices he's not alone anymore and Bucky can see the fear flash in his eyes before he quickly replaces it with anger.
"Who are you!? What'd you want!?" Dr. Nagel scoffs at his own choice of words, replaces them with, "Get the fuck out of my lab!"
"Are you Doctor Nagel?" Sam asks, holding both his hands up so that he doesn't look too threatening. "We know you're the one who created this new supersoldier serum."
Bucky, however, wants to look threatening. She takes a step forward, watches as Nagel's eyes dart to her and widen in slight horror as the recognition flashes over his entire expression. She says nothing, still, only stares expectantly at him.
Neither of them, nor the Doctor seem to notice Zemo slowly (carefully) making his way around, nosing around at as much as he can.
Sam, however, notices the look on the Doctor's face when he looks at Bucky. "You know who she is, don't you?" He carries on when he only receives a gulp and a nod in response. "Behind me is Baron Zemo. I'm sure you've heard of him, too, right?" When he only gets another nod, he goes on. "You seem like a pretty smart guy."
Bucky watches Sam shuffle slowly closer to the Doctor. She almost wants to roll her eyes at his stupid finesse, but instead, is pleasantly surprised when he shoots the man a stern look and tells him, "So you need to become conversational real quick."
Then, she's also annoyed when Doctor Nagel seems to relax a little (obviously having figured out he's in no immediate danger. For now, she thinks.)
He scoffs and goes to sit back down before saying, "How about you make me a counter proposal? Then, I'll certainly talk for you."
Smug asshole, both Bucky and Sam think.
Zemo smirks to himself, because he knows better. He knows how this deluded idiot's story will end.
"Guys, we got comp –"
Through her earpiece, Bucky hears Sharon's heavy breathing and knows that they probably only have minutes now, if that. She glances to Sam and he nods at her.
"Every fucking bounty hunter in the city is here!" More heavy breathing, some shouts and a lot of manly grunts of pain, and – "Hurry the fuck up!!"
By the sounds of things, Sharon can more than handle herself and while Bucky is slightly impressed, she's stepping forward and glaring at the Doctor. Sam goes to open his mouth, but thinks better of it (he does trust her, wants her to know it, wants to show it more.) Bucky doesn't say anything, only slowly lifts her metal hand up and wriggles her fingers in front of his face as her glare grows darker and more menacing.
"OK, OK!!" Doctor Nagel shrinks back from her, blinks rapidly and takes a deep breath to calm himself.
Bucky takes a step back, finally pulls on her glove and reaches for the gun under her belt when she hears the fighting for herself, just outside now. She lets Sam step in front of him and only half listens to anything related to the Winter Soldier. She tries not to feel to angry over his stupid God Complex as she grips the gun in her flesh hand. She hears Zemo do the same and wonders why the hell Sam (or Sharon, for that matter) even let him have one. Nothing good can come of that, she thinks as she listens to fighting, listens to Sam ask Nagel everything he needs to know.
When he talks about how his serum was supposed to be the perfect one, Bucky wants to feel angry about that, too. There will never be another Steve. Bucky has lived for longer than most people and has still never met another person as incorruptible as Steve.
Maybe Sam... Still, she fears she doesn't know him as well as she likes to think she does.
He tells them about how the Power Broker was very keen to fund his work and Sam wonders if they should be more worried about that than the supersoldiers.
"How many vials did you make?" Sam asks.
Bucky listens closely now as he answers with -
"20." Nagel huffs. "Karli Morgenthau stole all of them. So..." He scoffs, this time with a small smile. "I can only imagine what the Power Broker has planned for that poor little girl."
Bucky doesn't like the little bitch, either. Yet, she can't help glaring at Nagel, because there's a nastiness in his tone that rubs her up the wrong way-rubs the Winter Soldier up the wrong way.
"Where is Karli now?" Sam asks.
Nagel shrugs carelessly. "No idea. Obviously, I would tell you." He doesn't look all that sincere, but he does add, "However... a couple of days ago, she had the nerve to call me up and ask me to help someone named Donya Madani. Poor woman, whoever she is, has tuberculosis. Typical of overpopulation in displacement camps like that."
"What the hell happened to her?" Sam asks.
Nagel shrugs carelessly again. "Not my pig. Not my farm."
Sam glares at him.
"Is there any of the serum in this lab?" Zemo suddenly asks, and Bucky narrows her eyes at him as she listens to Sharon scream in anger while pummelling whoever the poor guy is.
"No." Nagel shakes his head.
"Great. Now what?"
Bucky's slightly surprised when Sam turns to her as he asks that. She hopes she doesn't let it show on her face and is terribly grateful when Sharon distracts them.
"Hey! Assholes! I could use a hand here! Thank you!"