We fell asleep on the couch that night. I woke up, alone on the couch. I sat up and looked over to the kitchen to see Sam cooking. I also heard the shower on and assumed he was there.
"Cmon get up." I heard Sam call from the kitchen."We're seeing Zemo today."
"Im sorry what now?" It shocked me. I didn't know we were.
"Yeah we discussed it this morning, now hurry up."
•~•
Berlin, Germany
"He's just through that corridor." The guard said dropping us off.
"Alright. Give us a sec." Bucky responded. "Im gonna go in alone."
"What? Why? Do you think I'm too vulnerable? I've had just as much experience with him as you have." I protested.
"Yeah, and why can't I?" Sam added in.
"You're an Avenger, you know how he feels about that."
"It's not like you two are known for frolickin' in the sun together." Sam countered.
"He was obsessed with HYDRA. We have a history together. Trust me. I got it."
"WE got it." I say walking to the cell door.
"Riley-" Buck said catching up with me.
We got in to see a small cell behind glass. Zemo sat on the bed.
"Longing." He started.
I tensed alittle.
"Longing."
"Rusted."
"Seventeen."
"Those days are over." Bucky said.
"I know. I just wanted to see how the new you reacts to the old words." Zemo said stepping closer to the glass. "Something is still in there."he paused. "Atleast you were not conscious for most of your imprisonment."
"That time wasn't exactly a picnic." I said finally making eye contact with him.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. It was never personal. You were simply a means to a necessary end." He finished.
"Someone recreated the super-soldier serum." Bucky said. Zemo looked up shocked.
"We need to find out who." I added in.
"You are assuming HYDRA has something to do with this, which is why you came to me, which means you are desperate. Lucky for you, I know where to begin." Zemo said coning close.
"What book you reading?" I said peering over.
"What are you talking about? You wanna break Zemo outta jail? Where the hell are we Riley? Buck, have you lost your mind?" Sam said as we walked through a flashlight lit garage.
"We have no leads, no moves, nothing." Bucky explained.
"What we have is one of the most dangerous men in the world behind bars." Sam countered.
"And we also have eight Super Soldiers that are loose." I added in.
"Zemo's gonna mess with our minds. Especially yours. No offence." Sam said.
"Offence." Both me and Bucky said. Bucky turned the garage light on.
"Super Soldiers go against everything he believes in. He is crazy, but he has a code." I say leaning against a car.
"Yeah. Ive been in the wrong side of that code and so have you. He blew up the UN, he killed King T'Chaka and framed you guys for it. Did you forget that? You think the Wakandans forgot about it?.. it's a rhetorical question. They didn't. I know why this matters to you, but its pushing you, especially her, off the deep end." Sam said.
"Sam, we dont know how they're gettin' the serum. We don't even know how many there are. Let me just walk you through a hypothetical. Can I?" Bucky said.
"What did you do?" Sam looked back at us.
"We didn't do anything. The weakest point in a system isn't the software, the hardware, it's the meatware. The human element." Buck started.
" Now, in this lockup, it's nine to one, prisoners to guards. And if two prisoners start fighting, then the protocol says four guards have to respond." I continued.
"So why would two prisoners randomly start fighting at that moment?" Sam asked.
"Who knows? There could be many reasons..." I continue.
"But the point is, these things escalate. Lockdown procedures would have to be initiated, and will all those bodies flying around left and right-" bucky continued.
", wouldn't be hard to slip down a hallway or two. And if the fire alarm got tripped while the prisoners were being separated..." I continued.
"someone could use the chaos to their advantage." Bucky finished.
"I don't like how casual you're bein' about this. This is unnatural. Are you... And- Where are we, guys?" I heard a door open. We looked over to see none other than Zemo in a prison guard uniform.
"Whoa. Whoa, whoa-"
"No, listen."
"What are you doing here?" Sam ran to Zemo.
"Look I didn't tell 'cause I knew you wouldn't let this happen." Bucky stepped infront of him.
"What did you do?"
"We need him, Sam." I insisted.
"You're going back to prison!" Sam shouted pointing at him.
"If I may..." Zemo started.
"No!" All three of us yelled.
"When Steve refused to sign the Sokovia accords, you backed him. You broke the law, and you stuck your neck out for me. Im asking you to do it again." Bucky said.
"I really think I'm invaluable-" Zemo started.
"Shut up." I snapped at him. Sam paused.
"Okay. If we do this, you don't make a move without our permission." Sam finally agreed.
"Fair." Zemo admitted.
"Okay, Zemo... where do we start?"
•~•
"So our first move is grand theft auto?" Sam said as we walked into a giant garage.
"These are mine. Collected by family over generations. I spent years hunting people HYDRA recruited to recreate the serum. Because once it's out there, someone can create an army of people... like the Avengers. I ended the winter soldier program once before. I have no intention to leave my work unfinished. To do this, we'll have to scale a ladder of lowlife's." Zemo said in his strong Sokovian accent.
"Well, join the party. We've already started." Sam said leaning against a car.
"First stop is a women named Selby. Mid-level fence I still have a line on. From there, we climb." Zemo finished.
•~•
We got to a plane. Zemo had a long coat on. We were greeted by a older gentleman.
"So all this time you've been rich?" Sam said reading my mind.
"I'm a Baron, Sam. My family was royalty until your friends destroyed my country."
"Hello, Oeznik." He greeted in russian.
"Welcome gentlemen... And lady."
"Old friend."
"Please." Zemo said guiding us into the plane, finally speaking English.
We flew over the country. I sat in the chair infront of Zemo with Bucky beside me and Sam beside Zemo. Oeznik passed him a glass of champagne. I had headphones on. I sketched while listening to music.
"You dont know what it's like to be locked in a cell." Zemo said bringing me back. Pulling my headphones down.
"Oh. Thats right. You do."he sayed looking over to Sam. He paused before turning to me.
"Say Riley~ have you persuaded anyone recently?" He said with a smile. I quickly looked over to Bucky, hesitating.
"Uh- I no.." I stammered abit nervous.
"Are you sure?.. perhaps the man your looking for is straight infront of you."
I gulped avoiding eye contact with him. "No thanks... Really."
He leaned on the arms of my chair leaning down right to my face. "I could take you anywhere you'd like darling."
"Yeah.. actually he's-" Bucky grabbed Zemo's neck pushing him back into his chair.
"Touch her again and you're fucking dead." He said backing off.
"I was gonna say, he persuaded me~" I was nervous so I tucked my knees up to my chest hiding behind my drawings. I put my headphones back up to hear a new song. Sam had suggested Spotify so I was giving it a try. It's awesome! You can skip endless songs and rewind them! It's great. I was listening to a song that came out a couple years ago 'Unholy'. I saw Buck stand up and take a small book out of Zemo's hands. huh. Whatever. Curious I pulled my headphones down.
"I understand that list of names. People you've wronged as the Winter Soldier." Zemo said. I remembered a book of my own I kept in my pocket. I reached into my pocket pulling the small note book out. Briefly looking at the list of names.
"Don't push it." Bucky said lowly.
"I've seen that book. It was Steve's when he came out of the ice. I told him about Trouble Man. He wrote it in that book. Did you hear? What'd you think?" Sam started.
"I like 40s music, so..." Buck said.
"You didn't like it?" Sam blurted out.
"I liked it."
"It is a masterpiece, James. Complete. Comprehensive. It captures the African-American experience." Zemo added in.
"He's out of line, but he's right. Its great. Everybody loves Marvin Gaye." Sam said.
"I like Marvin Gaye." Bucky said.
"Steve adored Marvin Gaye." Sam continued.
"You must have really looked up to Steve. But I realized something when I met him. The danger with people like him, America's Super Soldiers, is that we put them on pedestals." Zemo said. I clench my fist glaring at him.
"Watch your step, Zemo." Sam said noticing me.
"They become symbols. Icons. And then we start to forget about their flaws. From there, cities fly, innocent people die. Movements are formed, wars are fought." Zemo turned over to Bucky.
"You remember that, right? As a young soldier sent to Germany to stop a mad icon. Do we want to live in a world full of people like the Red Skull? That is why we're going to Madripoor." Zemo finished.
"What's up with Madripoor? You talk about it like it's skull island." Sam asked.
"It's an island nation in the Indonesian archipelago. It was a private sanctuary back in the 1800s." I explained.
"Its kept it's lawless ways But we cannot exactly walk in as ourselves."
Zemo turned to me and buck. "James and Riley, you're going to have to become people you claim are gone." My chest tightened at the thought.
Madripoor
If I had to describe it.. A lower class Tokyo or Los Vegas. Sam was dressed in a tacky colourful suit. 'smiling tiger' what a dumb nickname. Me and Buck were in our tactical gear.
We walked across a bridge to a car. I made sure I walked just a tad slower so I could have a window seat it the back with Sam and Buck. I looked out at the window. Watching old rain fall down the window. Bucky held my hand moving his thumb soothingly along it. Soon we went under a bridge.
We walked into what was essentially a club. Abit more 'sophisticated' then what we walked through to get there.
"Ready to comply? Winter Soldier and Crimson Angel?" Zemo said. I was known as the Blood Soldier but sometimes on occasion, Crimson Angel.
We walked through the crowd to a small bar in the centre. I watched as the bartender went to a jar. Took a snake out. To something from the inside, out. Put it in a shot glass and gave it to Sam. My stomach turned just at the sight but I had to stay in character. I saw a guy walk up behind Zemo.
"I got word from on high. You ain't welcome here." The guy stated.
"I have no business with the Power Broker,
but if he insists he can either come and talk to me..." Zemo gestured to the two of us.
"New hair cuts?"
"Or bring Selby for a chat." Zemo finished.
They guy walked back into the crowd.
"A power broker, really?" Bucky said reading my thoughts.
"Every kingdom needs its king. Lets just pray we stay under his radar.
"Do you know him?" Sam asked.
"Only by reputation. In Madripoor he is judge, jury, and executioner." Zemo answered. A older looking guy, 50 maybe walked up to Zemo.
"Winter and Blood soldier. Attack." Zemo said as the guy grabbed his shoulder. I grabbed his neck ripping him away. He tried to fight back but I slammed him on the ground. I heard him groan in pain as I turned to see more guys gathering around. I switched out my blade spinning it once getting back to back with Buck. A guy came for me and I grabbed his arms flipping him over my head. As he landed Bucky kicked him back letting him fall.
I went to Advance on a guy but he kicked me back and another caught me. I flipped around stabbing his shoulder. Standing up kicked him into the crowd.
Bucky grabbed a table smashing it on a guy. I slashed my knife barely missing this guys neck. He leaned back before punching my gut. I looked up stabbing my dagger in his side letting his body fall in agony.
"Heads up." Bucky said as he flipped someone over to me. As he landed I wrapped my leg around his letting him fall and hit his head.
People started scattering as bodies hit the floor. I held a guy infront of me, a knife to his neck. I felt Buck grab two guns from my holsters from behind, pointing them at the crowd. I heard guns cock as I looked around.
"Well done, soldiers." Zemo said.
"Selby will see you now." The bar tender stated.
"Thank you." Zemo said. I dropped the guy letting him fall as he gasped for air. Bucky flipped the guns back into my holsters his hips just barely pressing against mine."You good?" Sam said looking to us both. We walked off not responding.
We got into a room. An older lady with a pixie cut sat on a tacky patterned couch.
"You should know, Baron. People dont just come into my bar and make demands." Selby stated as we walked in.
"Not a demand. An offer." Baron said sitting on the couch across from the lady.
"Alot has changed since you were here last." Selby started. She peered over at us, I sensed slight fear. "By the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?" She added.
"People like us always find a way, don't we. Im sure you've already figured out what we're here for." Zemo replied.
"You're taller than I heard, Smiling tiger." She said pointing at Sam not bothering to look. "Whats the offer?" She turned smiling.
"Tell us what you know about the super- soldier serum." He stood up standing behind me and Buck. "And I give you them." He put a hand on each of our shoulders. "Along with the code words to control him, of course." He moved over to Bucky. " They will do what ever you want. He uses mainly brute strength."He placed a hand under my face lifting it. " She is strong and favours her blades of sorts. " I tensed really uncomfortable. I squeezed my fist tightly. He moved his hand slowly down my neck close to my chest. Bucky reached an arm out catching Zemo's wrist and outting it down glaring. "He is programmed to uh- protect her."
"Now that's the Zemo I remember. I'm glad I decided not to kill you immediately." Selby states. "The super-soldier serum is here in Madripoor. Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you wanna thank. Or... condemn, depending on what side of this you're on. The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but... things didnt go as planned."
"Is Nagel still in Madripoor?"Zemo asked.
"Oh. The bread crumbs you can have for free, but the bakery is gonna cost you, Baron." She said almost taunting. She looked over to me seeing I was slightly fidgeting with my fingers at my side. She walked over.
"I wanna see if this little Soldier set is real, Baron." She got close up to my face.
"Longing." She started. No.
"Rusted." I clenched my teeth as the pain in my head began.
"Seventeen." Stop.
"Daybreak." My hand shook as it went to the gun in my holster.
"Furnace." The pain grew.
"Fuck off." I said through clenched teeth.
"There you ha-" I shot her straight in the heart. Still holding my gun as her body it the floor. Bucky ran to a guard ripping his gun out of his hands. I ran up behind him punching down a guy with my metal arm. Buck ran behind a crate holding the gun he stole up. Sam ran to the door.
"They're gonna pin this on us!" He he said worried. Zemo walked up as I posted beside James behind a post.
"We have a real problem now, so leave your weapons and follow my lead." Zemo said.
We walked down the street hearing peoples phones get notifications. "This is not good." Zemo said.
'Well no fucking shit.' I mumbled to myself. I would've said it out Buck made me put my mask on after Selby.
People started shooting at us. We ran like hell. I felt bullets ricochet off my metal arm.
"I can't run in these heals!" Sam shouted sprinting behind us. Two bikes started driving for us. We turned a corner to see a guy get shot through a window. The guys on the bikes quickly got shot too. Thats when I noticed Zemo was missing. I watched him walk out of the building towards us.
"You seem to have a guardian angel." Zemo said.
"Well this is too perfect." I looked back to see Sharon holding up a hand gun. "Drop it, Zemo."
"Sharon?" I said with Buck.
"You cost me everything." She walked forward.
"Sharon, wait." Sam said putting his hands up. "Someone recreated the super-soldier serum and Zemo had a lead."
"That explains why you guys are here. And Shelby's dead." I tensed when she mentioned it.
"So what are you doing here?" Bucky the smart ass said.
"I stole Steve's shield, remember? I also took the wings for your ass, so that you could save their asses from his ass."she pointed her gun to Sam, me and Buck, to Zemo. "Unlike you I didn't have the Avengers to back me up. So I'm off the grid in Madripoor." She finished putting her arms down.
"Hey, don't blow that smoke at me. I was on the run, too." Sam defended.
"Was. Is. Big difference. I don't speak to my family anymore. I can't. My own father doesn't know where I am." She said.
"Listen..." Buck started. "Sharon, we need your help... Please."
"This isn't over... I have a place in High Town. You should be safe there for awhile." She said turning and walking.