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DIPLOMACY IS A
TWO WAY STREET
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While the three men left in search for refugee camps that know who Donya Madani is, Czarina had a different idea in mind for herself. Instead of joining them she plans to take a different route in finding the information they need.
"Are you sure about this?" Bucky asked for the third time as he watched Czarina put on the borrowed beanie. "Yes. I have my plan." She only repeated her previous reply. "You three can go now."
"Be careful, Rei."
Indistinct chatter filled the area as passersby were thrown in the mix of vendors and buyers, all of them preoccupied with their personal business and completely oblivious of the lone super soldier among them. She easily passed another lowlife on the crowd with the ragged and dusted outfit she's wearing. If people around her see the girl as just another wandering kid that needs shelter and food, it'll be easy for her to join the refugee camps. And possibly snoop around enough to get the information she needs.
She can't imagine volunteers and people of the camps being willing to speak to foreign strangers suddenly looking for a family of the group's leader.
The camps are the main beneficiary of Flag Smashers' loot, this is where all the medicines, food, supplies are directed. And it can't be more obvious that those people are aware which side helps them, it creates loyalty and solidarity to the group. If someone went out looking for a family member of the Flag Smashers' leader, especially an Avenger like Sam, who they have most likely associated with the government. No one will talk. Czarina wanted to mention it awhile ago but the other three seem to have their minds firmly on the interrogation route to find answers.
So she's here alone. With an alternative way to do things.
The cool breeze of the late morning air bit against the thick clothing of the girl. She rarely feels this kind of cold back in Boston or New York at this time of the year and obviously in Riga it's different. Czarina intently scanned the surroundings as she walked, the crowds by the sidewalk and gutter, groups in large numbers, any sign of gatherings of refugees.
And then, gotcha, she wasn't that far yet from the marketplace when her eyes landed on the underpass right across where she's standing. People are lining up on the roadside towards the dark area of the alleyway. The blonde didn't hesitate to head towards the target crowd but avoided making them a focus of her gaze. Her head remained hanging low as she crossed the street, upon reaching the other side her left hand crawled inside the pocket of her puffy coat. A slender, cold metal immediately came into contact with her skin, she slid it slightly until its blade was exposed and then her palm pressed hard against the sharp edge. A dull sting shot up from the fresh wound, Czarina winced a little but brushed it off and took out her hand in a closed fist.
The girl didn't go straight at the lined up crowd but instead redirected herself to the nearby trashcan bonfire. A few people were already around it but they did mind the newcomer joining them. The line is getting shorter but people haven't stopped tailing after another. The ones who are leaving hold wrapped up brown boxes that can be carried in hand.
Czarina shuffled in her feet. She needs to get close to the person handing out repacked supplies. Looking over her shoulder the blonde sees another person about to leave the line after picking up what they need, she steers towards them while they are still near the front line. The person was tall, a guy in a hoodie with his eyes too focused on the package he's holding, it made it easy for the girl to enact her plan. His broad shoulder bumped against Czarina's, the girl only let the force of their collision throw her down the pavement and stumbled right in front of the line up.
"Ow!" The blonde groaned, it did hurt her tailbone. The man who hit her immediately rushed back in surprise. "Sorry! Oh god-"
Blood from her hand stained the lower portion of her jacket, the man froze in his steps upon seeing it. "Oh, no. No this isn't you." Czarina tried convincing him but he seemingly had panicked and still didn't move to help her up. Until another pair of hands held on her arms to lift up the girl from the sprawled position.
"Here, here. Let me help you." A guy, probably a little older than Czarina, carefully pulled her at the elevated gutter where he was standing. Fresh crimson dripped from the tip of her fingers, splattering some at a person assisting her. At his feet is a rusty trolley stacked with bigger brown boxes that are opened and half empty.
"What happened to you?" He asked as his widened eyes looked like Czarina from head to toe. "Come on, sit here." The guy pulled a small foldable chair towards and let her rest on it.
"Thank you...," The blonde girl trailed off and pulled her cut hand in her chest. "Hey, it's okay. We have first aid here. Hey Anja! Take care of the rest of the line, I'll patch her up." He turned to his company who only nodded and proceeded to assist the next person in line. While the guy crouched down beside the new girl.
"I'm Nico, by the way." The guy introduced to himself, suppressing a small smile. "Nadia." Czarina replied and held out her bleeding palm with quiet reluctance. She watched in silence as he carefully took her hand, brought out the medical supplies and started cleaning up the deep gash.
"How long have you had this?" Nico asked, pouring out from a newly opened water bottle to clean up the dried blood in her arms and the wound itself.
"Just a while ago." Czarina answered with a half lie. "Listen, you don't have to do all this. You have work to do, I can just- "
"Hey, you can't just walk around with a bleeding hand." He looked up at her and started dabbing a cotton swab on the cut. "And I don't think any ER would accept us."
Czarina's eyes narrowed in the last sentence, which Nico must have noticed and paused to explain himself. "Oh I just- you didn't have the accent from here. And you look like- I thought you're from the shelters."
"I am." She confirmed without any hesitation. He was already convinced she's among the displaced population in the community that the Flagsmashers have been helping. He didn't doubt for a second to help and include her in their seemingly discreet crowd by the underpass.
"Oh, so did you get this from where you're staying?"
"No. No, I...," Czarina shook her head. "I was trying to go back to my old apartment to get some things but the new owner saw me.... So I climbed out the broken window."
A soft sigh sounded from Nico, shaking his head a little. "Let me guess, shelter's short staffed and supplies are running out again?"
She only nodded as the sides of her mouth curved downward, Nico finally finished cleaning the wound and wrapped her hand with a slightly thick gauze. "You're all done, Nadia." He smiled once more. "Listen uh, if you need clothes or supplies don't come back to your old apartment. Go around here instead, we're in this corner when the rounding police aren't."
"Okay, I will." Czarina smiled with a nod and took her hand back from Nico. She slowly stood up from her seat. "I just didn't think that it'll be the same after what happened to Donya. It felt like most of those she helped, fell in a rough patch."
Nico's expression fell flat and sulk upon the mention of the woman's name. He didn't say anything for a second but when he did it was what Czarina had been aiming to hear. "Later's gonna be her last day of the funeral. You're free to come. A lot of people in the community are gonna be there."
"Is it okay for me to come? I didn't know her personally but she was a help to us back at the shelter."
"Yeah, it's okay. Everyone can be welcome there." Nico assured her and stood up to face her properly. "Here I have the card of the building. It starts at 1pm." A palm size paper card was handed to her, labeled by the address of the building turned temporary shelter.
"Thanks." She gladly accepted it and raised her hand to wave goodbye at Nico. Once she started walking away from the underpass corner she didn't bother to look back. All she can think about is getting back at the apartment and informing the rest of their group about what she found out.
When she arrived at Zemo's place no one was there yet so she just picked the front door's locks to get inside. The whole apartment is in deafening silence with her being the only one around, there was no TV or radio to turn on for a background noise. Something the girl isn't used to anymore having to live in a big city and a college dorm for the past year.
Czarina slumped her body on the sofa and fished out the phone from her jean pocket. No calls or texts from her dad or Sam and it's already quarter past twelve.
U got something? I'm back at the apartment.
After sending the text she went on to listen to the music on her phone to kill the inevitable slow of time when waiting alone. She's starting to doze off in the seat when the door creaked open loudly. The three men beelined to each other in silence as they joined her in the living room. Czarina was about to speak about the information she got when Sam and Bucky engaged in a trail of conversation.
"Well I got nothing." Her father said with a start. "No one's talkin' about Donya."
"Yeah, it's because Karli is the only one fighting for them." Sam pointed out. Both of them sat down at the opposite sides of the couch, putting the girl in the middle. "And she's not wrong."
"What do you mean?" Bucky's eyebrows dipped together on Sam's words. A light sigh sounded from her uncle before he continued. "For five years, people have been welcomed into countries that have kept them out using barbed wire. There were houses and jobs. Folks were happy to have people around to help them rebuild."
As she listens in silence Czarina finds herself making a slight nod while Sam explains his side of the conversation. Bucky didn't say anything else either.
"It wasn't just one community coming together, it was the entire world coming together. And then, boom." Sam mimics a snap of fingers. "Just like that, it goes right back to the way it used to be. To them, at least Karli's doin' somethin'."
"Do you really think her ends justify her means?" The other Barnes asked his partner. "Then, she's no different than him or anybody else we've fought." He made a hand pointing gesture at Zemo, who's making tea at the kitchen as their conversation unfolds.
"She's different. She's not motivated by the same things." Sam countered back. Zemo carefully walked up to them with a set of newly heated tea and kettle on a tray.
"That little girl." Bucky looked up at him. "What'd she tell you?"
There was a brief silence and multiple stares at each other before the man finally answered the question. He leaned at the low table to set the tray down. "The funeral is this afternoon."
Dismay quickly spread on their faces after realizing the man had been withholding what he knew, it seems to be he had no plans on telling them until they pushed for it.
"You know the Dora's coming for you any minute." Bucky reminded him. "In fact, they're probably lurking outside right now. Keep talking."
"Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli. Hmm." Zemo hummed, the corners of his mouth curving downwards. He shook his head on the refusal to tell them the truth. "I prefer to keep my leverage."
Bucky stood up on his seat and circled around Zemo like a vulture about to attack. It's obvious that he contemplated for a while but seeing the mocking look on the other's face made him lose it. The tea cup shattered across the room. "You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?" Bucky fumed with his face inches away from Zemo.
"Take it easy." Sam immediately got in between. "Don't engage him. He's just gonna extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing."
If Zemo's words won't work on you he surely has a way to get into your skin even with body language. Czarina knows that technique too well, it's among the basics of Red Room's guide in mental manipulation. It's just a part of the act to get someone in a vulnerable state.
"Sam...," she whispered on his side. "I have something to tell you."
He only nodded at her and turned his eyes back at Bucky to make sure he had calmed down instead of falling into Zemo's tricks. "Rei and I are just gonna talk." Sam lightly slapped his partner by the shoulder as he walked out of the room with Czarina.
"I got something around the camps."
The two of them stopped at the porch steps outside the apartment. "Do you know where the funeral is?"
"Today's the last day of vigil so maybe that's where the funeral is too." She answered with certainty and handed him the card where the building address is written.
"Where'd you get this?"
"A guy who's handing out GRC loot supplies in the underpass."
Sam cocked his head back and forth on the piece of paper and the girl. "That's where you've been, huh?"
"Yeah, sorry I didn't say anything." Czarina stiffened her shoulders. "Are we really going in there just the four of us? There's like nine of them there."
Sam was silent for a moment then he fished out his phone from the pocket. "No. I'm gonna make a call."
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Sharon agreed to help them via monitoring any possible Flag Smashers movement in the camp where the funeral is located. On the other hand Zemo still left with them despite Czarina already knowing the information they needed. He said he will be with them all the way until the Flagsmashers are properly apprehended. They were already headed into the building written in the card when they saw two familiar faces coming at them.
"Karli Morgenthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit!" John Walker shouted as he climbed down the steep street with his partner, Lemar.
"Ah! How'd you find us now?" Bucky snidely asked.
"Come on! You think two Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?" The other US soldier replied. Great, now they have boy scouts tailing them on the way to meet up with a radical team of supes.
Walker blocked out the path and continued walking closer at the other team. "No more keeping us in the dark. You could start by telling us why you broke him out of prison."
"He did that himself, technically." Bucky didn't bother to explain further.
"This better be an unbelievable explana...,"
Seeing John's escalation Sam pushed in between him and Bucky. "Hey, take it easy before it gets weird." He held up his hand in his direction.
"I know where Karli is." Zemo revealed to the soldier. And redirected their path to continue walking but Walker just blocked them once more. "Well, where?"
"All we know is, it's a memorial. So, we're gonna intercept her there."
"That means civilians. High risk of casualties." Lemar pointed as he and his partner trailed behind the team of four. Eager to reach the building and get into the vigil, Czarina remained ahead of the crowd. She didn't pay attention to the commotion exchange of the rest of her company. She can hear Walker debating to take Karli on the good ol' entrapment style but Sam is more leaning towards talking down her first. Czarina prefers the latter, given it's a public setting and they can't risk the civilians getting in the middle.
Karli is dangerous, that is exactly why they can't take on her when casualties are arm's length. Walker continue to persuade them to do it on his way, even bringing up the fact that Bucky is just letting his partner be alone in the room with a known terrorist. Which was quickly rebuffed by Sam stating he has the experience of counseling war veterans and soldiers. Czarina could only agree, among them her uncle is the most capable person to engage in conversation with Karli that won't come off as a hostile negotiation. She trusts him.
Nonetheless Walker continues to pester them with disagreement.
"Wait, John. If he can talk her down, it might be worth a try." Bucky convinces him, more calmly this time.
"We'll deal with you later." He said, hostility still dripping on his voice.
"I'm sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion." Zemo cut off impatiently between and reached for the building entrance. "My associate is just up ahead."
Bucky wasn't so keen to let his daughter walk inside but she convinced him it's better than just Sam alone, a presence of a "kid" won't raise so much suspicion to the Flag Smashers. So for now it's just the two of them together while the rest stays behind so they can appear less intimidating towards Karli.
The floor building was packed with residents, both young ones and adults. It was quiet with only a lone speaker talking to the crowd in a modulated tone. No one will suspect the peaceful event is being led by the most wanted vigilante group in the country. That's why they want to remain as discreet and civil as possible, for the best interest of both sides.
"...Until Mama Donya. Like a lot of you here, Mama Donya saved me. She clothed me, fed me, loved me." A solemn eulogy can be heard at the lower side of the floor. Czarina shadowed behind Sam as he peaked at the balcony down the crowd.
Right then Karli saw them. Fear quickly sets on her eyes seeing the two uninvited guests. She looked around her people in concern but still maintaining composure.
"She taught me that we have to do for each other because they won't. And we know who they are." The young leader continued with more grip on her tone. "They imposed struggle and hardship on us, then labeled us as criminals for pushing back. But the struggle is what brings us all together. People who have nothin' in common."
She half paced on the crowd and raised her head to stare at the strangers looking down at them. "For we are, after all, simply one world and one people. So live accordingly."
As soon as she finished her monologue for her late guardian, people offered their farewell and respect at the makeshift coffin. Flowers laid down and candles lighting up after another. There was a brief exchange of uneasy looks between her and Sam yet they finally made their way down the level where Karli is.
"I saw you back there." She spoke without even facing them.
"We came alone. I just wanna talk."
"Bold of you," the redhead smirked. "And who is she?"
"Someone you might want to hear out." Sam briefly answers and makes a way for Czarina to be seen. "We're sorry for your loss."
"Don't condescend to me. I'm not a child."
"I'm not. I know what it's like to lose someone. Believe me."
"No, you don't. Not like this." Karli was quick to spat back.
"It doesn't have to be a war, Karli." The man started to speak for their side.
"They started a war as soon as they kicked us out of our new homes and onto the street. People around the world need me. Millions of them."
"Right, I can't speak for millions, but I understand you. I understand your frustration. I understand your helplessness." Sam's tone is not angry or aggressive in one bit. Czarina was never good at diplomatic talks with honesty, Red Room trained her to lie as easily as she breathes when speaking to enemies. If it was up to the Nightshade, she would be diving head first to manipulation tactics. But not Sam. He wants to hear this girl, the one who's been condemned by the whole world as a violent terrorist, with genuine intent.
"So, you want me to stop because people are gettin' hurt, right? But, Sam, what if I'm making the world a better place?" Karli paced from her spot and closer to them.
"No, it's not a better place if you're killin' people. It's just different."
"You're either brilliant or just hopelessly optimistic." She smiled in a mocking manner.
Sam could only chuckled softly. "Well, can't I be a little bit of both?"
"No." Karli shook her head. With a bit of hesitation Czarina approached the low table where the other girl was sitting atop. She laid down a torn handkerchief mask with the symbol.
"This is the wolf spider symbol, isn't it?" She asked in a low voice. Karli's eyes trailed all over her face down to the cloth.
"Yes."
"Isn't it a little ironic to carry a sign that represents the same people you're fighting against?"
She can see her gaze darkening a bit before answering the imposing question. "Levi Romanoff was never the same people, we're reclaiming what this represents. He was with us. Not the Avengers."
For a moment Czarina was reminded of the records and reports she read regarding Levi's social involvement post Blip. How he found himself distanced from the Avengers crowd but closer to the fight of the people. Maybe that's how Karli and her group met him. "I knew Levi. Better than most people around him."
"Then you know he'll be on our side if he's still here." As the redhead's face lights up on the mention of the boy, clarity hits Czarina. The conspiracy news had a half truth on it. Levi is involved in this group but not by choice. Only by inspiration for what he stood for.
"No he wouldn't be, Karli. Levi had enough of taking innocent lives in the past." Her chest beat against her ears. Maybe. Just maybe this can be a first step to resolve this vicious cycle. That this can be a way to show Karli that she's not too far gone and there's another path for their fight. I knew him too. You said he'll understand you so maybe I can too. We can help each other out in a better way than this. As wishful or naive as it sounds like.
"He was the first one to hear out people. When the rest of the avengers were picking up pieces of themselves, still fixated on their loss and how they can avenge it. He stood by our side, he rallied in the removal of borders for a better aid network. But our fight is so much bigger than that now, bigger than him or his politics."
Czarina hung her head low. If only her brother was here, he knows exactly what to do in this situation. He's smart and cunning enough to face a fiery politician like Karli. But Czarina? All she knows are fists and bloody noses or elaborate ploys filled with false promises when cornered.
"Karli," she swallowed uncomfortably. "Why can't it be like before? When no one needs to die for your movement and message."
"It wouldn't matter, we are far from where we began. The Avengers are gone, and so is he. We'll continue the fight he started. And he'll understand what's necessary."
Silence fell around them for a moment which prompted Sam to step in this time. "This guy I know, who knows more about Super Soldiers than anyone else on the planet, he says... you're a supremacist."
"Me?"
"Yeah." Sam reaffirmed what he said. He casually sits down next to Karli with his back facing her.
"That's ridiculous. Everything I do is to end supremacy. These corporations and the beasts who run them, they're the supremacists." The girl's voice grew louder defending herself.
"So, let me ask you. You have more serum, right?"
"So?"
"Are you going to increase your army?" The man faces Karli once more, he's closer to her but less guarded this time. "You're killin' innocent people."
"They're not innocent. They're roadblocks in my journey and I'd kill them again if I had to."
"Wow." Sam pulled away from the conversation with obvious disbelief. Karli realized what she just said and tried to backtrack it. "No, no. I didn't mean it like that. You tricked me into sounding like...,"
"Like what?"
A heavy sigh sounded from the younger one. "The people I'm fightin' are trying to take your home, Sam. Why are you here instead of stopping them?"
Czarina can see Sam being visibly taken back with Karli's sentiment and question but he maintained his composure. Answering without falter. "You know, my sister's waiting for that exact same answer. I'm not your enemy. I agree with your fight. I just can't get with the way you're fightin' it."
"And I'm sure she wouldn't either." He pointed at the coffin where Donya Madani is. Karli's gaze softened and lowered, for a split second Czarina could swear she could see Sam's words resonating to the Flag Smashers' leader. A glimpse of vulnerability is still present on her, that has to mean something.
And then all of the sudden that moment was shattered by a grating voice Czarina hoped to not hear in this situation.
"Karli Morgenthau, you're under arrest." John Walker announced with a smug.
The wild and guarded look resurfaced on Karli's eyes. Losing all the grip they had worked on convincing the girl to hear them out. "This is what that was?" She demanded, angry and sounding betrayed.
"No, Karli wait..." The blonde girl raised her hand.
"Tricking me until help comes?"
Walker immediately took over the scene and headed straight to the girl with aggression.
"We had enough time to talk." He puts his hand between Sam and him. Czarina pumped into her feet to push him off but her uncle held her back. "Rei, no don't. Don't make this worse."
"Why don't you...," John attempts to grab Karli but she was quick to push back his shield, throwing off the man backwards along with Sam and Czarina. Collective grunts sounded from their crowd as Karli ran into escape.
She had already disappeared on the doorway when the two Barnes rushed to follow her. Being a supersoldier, she easily jumped up the staircase leading to the next floor and so did Bucky and Czarina. Two supersoldiers chased after one across the crowd of civilians. When they reached the snaking hallways of the building, her father took the upstairs left while she went for the lower right.
There were barely footsteps on the bricked halls Czarina is heading to but she continued anyway in light but quick steps. Her eyes scanned the floor with caution. It wasn't until she was at the end of the hall that gunshots rang nearby.
Without seconds thoughts the girl sprinted away from where the shots were coming from. She took the steep stairs behind her leading to god knows where. After more than a minute of running, everything went into silence but she's more lost than ever in the maze of the place. Czarina decided to head on the outer hallway of the floor, hoping it might lead her to a more familiar view.
"Come on. We have to go!" A panicking voice said. She stuck herself against the wall. It's coming from beneath the corridor she's standing in. The pair of voices got louder as they came closer on the staircase. One belongs to Karli and the other is a stranger.
Czarina took a deep breath before slipping out the knife on her coat and jumping at the railing beside her. The blonde girl landed right in front of the pair who were on their way to escape.
Stunned, Karli inches back away. Blood is dripping from her lower abdomen and her face is twisted in pain. She's in no shape of fighting. Good. Maybe now you'll listen.
"Wait. Wait." The injured one exclaimed. "I know what you are and I think I know what you are to Levi. Come with us, these people will never understand us, but you will."
All of it just went past Czarina's ears. She's not here to agree on negotiations, they are.
"No one is going anywhere but back with me. That's the best help I can give you."
"Please, she's hurt."
Czarina looked down, hand on a blade and then she sprung to her feet.
The other guy went flying backwards with a push kick. Karli stumbles in front, Czarina catches her in time and puts her into a headlock. But as her arms tightened around the other girl she jabs both her arms on the sides. The impact on Czarina's ribs was stronger than she usually experiences. A groan escaped her lips. Seeing Karli's friend recovering from the kick, the blonde went to tackle down the redhead. She entangles her left leg on hers and snaps it backwards.
They fell face first on the floor but with Czarina's arms still under Karli to soften the fall. But it didn't spare the other girl from having a bloodied nose from the impact.
"Stop fighting. Just go with me, Karli!" She yelled at her.
"You're just like them! Fascist!"
When the other Flag Smasher recovers he doesn't hesitate to aid their leader, at first he tries to kick Czarina on the ribs and head but it barely fazes the girl. So he grabbed her on the sides. He started pulling back her left arm backwards while Karli pulled the other forward. A strained yelp escaped Czarina's throat. It didn't take long for her to lose the hold on Karli, the other guy quickly pushed her aside so hard she slid towards the ledge nearby.
She would have plummet to death if not for a tight grip on the railing, as she hangs midair between floors the two Flag Smashers take their narrow escape.
"Fuck!" The girl cursed loudly. Below her is a spiral of staircases so falling down is not the best option, but pulling her weight to get back on the floor above doesn't look possible either. So with a calculated risk, Czarina swung her body lightly and jumped sideways to land on the other side of the stairs.
"Rina!" Her father calls out from the end of the hallway. In between him and Sam is Zemo who's only half conscious being carried by arms.
"What happened to him?" She asked right away.
"Walker knocked him out." Bucky answered and took notice of his kid's rough up look. "What happened to you?"
"I saw Karli with another Flag Smasher, I tried to stop them but they got away." Her mouth still tastes dried blood and she feels like her head is being split.
"You looked like hell again. Come on, let's go back to the apartment. We're not finding Karli like this."