Third Person POV:
Sam communicates with Sharon through a secured line on the computer. Zemo feigning exhaustion lays down on the sectional, a wet cloth lays over his head. But I guess to be fair he was hit with the shield. He holds a glass of bourdon near his chest. Barely sipping on the dark liquor, "Were you ever offered it?" He asks Sam.
"What?" Sam's face looks at Zemo.
"The serum."
"No." He answers.
"If you had been, hypothetically, that is, would you have taken it?" Zemo is authentically interested.
"No." Sam's voice is strong, absolute, and sure. He's never considered taken the serum.
"No hesitation. That's impressive." He grunts, removing the cloth and wipes along his brow. "Sam, you can't hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she's gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people. Super soldiers cannot be allowed to exist." Sam watches and listens to Zemo's words, he has strong convictions concerning the situation.
"Isn't that how gods talk?" Sam sees the good in people. He doesn't think Karli is too far gone, and she's only a kid. Zemo reflects on the question, his hesitation surely means he doesn't believe all the rubbish he spews out. "And if that's how you feel, what about Bucky? What about Charlie, she's not a super soldier, but she's something, and you know what she is." Sam slows down his speech pattern, giving Zemo clear time to contemplate what he's telling him. "Blood isn't always the solution."
Before Zemo can be brought out of his musing of the two individuals that he is too interested in, they finally walk through the door. Zemo watches at how delicate he is with Charlie. He truly loves her, wants to take care of her, not that she needs taken care of, especially when she reaches her true potential. He has no idea the power that the small woman possesses, no one really does. How odd that after all this time, they were able to find each other again, and they're in love. Hydra would be thrilled.
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Bucky's POV:
After our talk, and my fears and concerns about Charlie feeling she needs the serum, we walk back to the house. Mostly silent. I drape my arm around her shoulder, she holds on to my hand that hangs down. I know she's scared of the contents of the file, but I hope she looks in it sooner rather than later. With her worry about protecting me physically and mentally, she's unleashed even deeper powers. She's definitely not who we thought she was, she's something more. I'm beginning to think she knows, but is living in denial now.
We walk through the door of the house, I take off my jacket and help Charlie in taking off her blazer, laying them down on a bar stool I walk behind the bar, "Something's not right about Walker," Charlie huffs out.
"You don't say?" Sam smiles in his words, he knows.
"Well, I know a crazy when I see one. Because I am crazy." I add, I reach for a glass filling it with bourbon, I grab another to pour something for Charlie, she shakes her head no, but still takes a tiny sip from my glass. My eyes roll at her, guess we are sharing.
Zemo watches me and Charlie from the bar, his eyes barely leave her body, she doesn't notice because her back is to him. It makes me leery of what he's thinking, and I will not ask her to enter his thoughts again. "Can't argue with that." Sam agrees to me being crazy.
"Shouldn't have given him the shield." I tell him. Charlie's head tilts as she frowns at me, I mean technically he didn't give Walker the shield, but he gave it to the government.
"I didn't give him the shield." Sam's voice isn't its usual soft strong tone. It's annoyed. His body stands up, eyes staring daggers at me.
"Well, Steve definitely didn't." Quickly Charlie's hands pull my left hand closer to hers, slowly tracing shapes into the metal, aiming to calm my irritation. My eyes flick down to her hand, it is a soothing gesture, but I'm tired of the constant mind games and babysitting Walker. I take a drink from my cup and smile up at her. Her soft hazel eyes reveal her total love for me. I smile down at her, extending the cup for her to take another drink.
Sam begins to say something before the doors get kicked in and a Walker and Hoskins storm through. More babysitting the soldier who has constant temper tantrums. As much as Charlie hates him, she also pities the man. "Alright. That's it. Let's go. I'm now ordering you to turn him over." He angrily points at Zemo.
I put up the bottle of liquor and sit at the stool by Charlie, blocking Walker's view of her. Zemo stands and with his canter of liquor, coming to the bar, closer to Charlie. He's a weasel, but he knows how powerful she is. And she will do whatever she needs to, to ensure Sam and I don't get hurt. All this time we thought we were protecting her, never realizing how much she could protect us.
"Hey slow your roll." Sam's steady voice talks over to Walker. "Shield or no shield, the only thing you're runnin' in here is your mouth. Now, I had Karli and you overstepped. He's actually proven himself useful today. And we're gonna need all hands-on deck for whatever's comin' next." Charlie peers at him with admiration. She's watching Sam turn into Captain America in front of her eyes.
"How do you want the rest of this conversation to go, Sam, huh?" Walker's voice comes out in a taunting whisper. He really thinks him and Hoskins can overpower us. "Yeah." He chuckles and smiles arrogantly at Sam. Sam's posture never changes, Walker's attempts at intimidating Sam are futile. "Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?"
This causes a sarcastic laugh from Sam. Walker sets down the shield, leaning it up against a post. I watch behind him when I see them. We've hit our eight-hour mark. She launches a vibranium spear at Walker, missing, but that was the intention. The Dora don't miss. Sam's gaze turns towards the member who threw the spear. He knows what their presence means, and we haven't completed the mission.
Everyone's focus comes to the door where Ayo and another member of the king's bodyguards enter. I straighten my posture up, again blocking Charlie from them, I feel my jaw tense as I watch Ayo, she's more than disappointed in me, and I owe her, Shuri, and Wakanda everything. I feel Charlie's small hand come into contact with my waist, ensuring me she's not going anywhere.
Ayo's spear slams on the ground as she speaks directly to me in Xhosa, "Even if he is a means to your end..." ashamed, I look down, I have no right to look her in the eyes. "Time's up." Ayo addresses the whole room and speaks in English, "Release him to us now."
"Hi. John Walker. Captain America," Walker steps closer to Ayo. He's an idiot. Ayo just looks at him, angry and blank. She's not entertaining him. He reaches a hand out for her to shake, upon refusal he brings his hand back to his body. "Well, let's, uh, put down the pointy sticks and we can talk this through, huh?" No respect. He deserves whatever they dish out to him.
"Hey, John, take it easy. You might want to fight Bucky and Charlie at the same time before you tangle with just one member of the Dora Milaje." Walker puts his attention on Sam and Ayo looks him up and down, she knows how easy he will be to take down.
"The Dora Milaje don't have jurisdiction here..." He turns his sights back on Ayo, he's making a mistake.
"The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be." Ayo is becoming more irritated. She wants Zemo, not some minor distraction, like John Walker.
"Okay." He looks back at Hoskins with a chuckle, and back to Ayo, "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot." His hand claps on Ayo's shoulder. Big mistake. Without hesitation Ayo's spear slams up against him, as she twists it and gets in several more hits on the arrogant son of a bitch. She kicks him back and his body flies up against the spear that's still sticking out of the post. His body collapses on the floor with a grunt.
He swings around grabbing the shield as the other members join in on their attack against Walker. Not wanting to get involved the rest of the room stand watching, "You think we should do something?" Charlie giggles, casting to my brain. She's loving someone finally giving Walker what's due him.
"In a minute, maybe."
Zemo casually takes a drink from his glass, not phased in the slightest. Maybe we're all enjoying this a bit too much. He brought it on himself, you don't insult the Dora Milaje. Hoskins joins in the fight, and even with two of them, they're no match.
I stand, pulling Charlie along with me, walking over beside Sam, he looks at the two of us, almost disappointed we're enjoying this. "We should do something." He's like a father talking to his children.
"Looking strong, John." I yell at him. Charlie stifles a giggle as she wraps an arm around my waist.
"Bucky..." Sam's voice has a warning tone to it. I look over at him.
"Maybe he's right." Charlie sighs. Maybe.
I roll my eyes and go over to Ayo, grabbing her spear with my cybernetic arm, "Ayo." She grunts as she pulls the spear out of my grasp. "Ayo, let's talk about this." I don't want to fight her, but I use my strength to get her attention on me.
The other two members push Hoskins down and raise their spears to him, Sam grabs one of them, while Charlie takes the other. Once Hoskins gets his barrens about him, he stands and helps Charlie, I'm thankful for that. She doesn't rely on her powers, just pure force.
John stands running towards Ayo and myself before a spear is thrown perfectly through the handles of the shield, trapping him on the table. Ayo begins hitting and jabbing on my arm, before it falls to the ground. I look at her shocked, hurt, perplexed, and all the other adjectives. Charlie pauses long enough for her to be hit and slung behind the couch. Ayo watches me, angry and frustrated, "Bast damn you, James." She spits over to me.
The fighting stops and Hoskins reaches behind the couch and helps Charlie up, I'm still frozen. Ayo walks into the bathroom and sees that Zemo was able to escape, yet again. Walker is able to free himself from the shield, and a member walks over, easily pulling the spear out of the table. He stares up at her defeated, but not daring to insult them again. She kicks at the shield and it effortlessly springs to her arm.
Ayo walks back in, annoyed, "He is gone. Leave it." Reluctantly she hands the shield back to Walker.
I finally find the energy to pick up my arm. "Did you know they could do that?" Sam asks, pulling himself off the ground. Charlie looks at me, not knowing exactly she wants to do.
I place my arm back up to its placement. It whirls and clinks as it reconnects. I make a fist several times before spinning my arm around with a huff, "No." I answer flatly.
"James." She whispers. I don't respond. Just look at her. I don't want her to pity me. But as if she knows that I need her touch she walks faster and wraps her arms around me, laying her head against my chest. I breathe deeply as her hand snakes up my torso and chest, before rubbing along my shoulder. She looks up at me and I lean forward, gently kissing her lips, not caring who sees. My arm wraps around her back and I hold her closer.
"They didn't trust me, so they made a way to release it."
"I don't think that's what it was, James."
"Then what was it?" I'm still shocked, and hurt.
"She is your friend. She not only felt like she failed her King when she didn't protect him, she felt her friend betrayed her by helping the man that killed T'Chaka out of prison."
"So, I made a mistake?" I look down at her. Charlie's eyes never show pity, but warmth and kindness.
"No. She knows why we're doing this, but it's against her, the Dora Milaje's code." I nod, she's right, but still. She's disappointed in me, and I'm disappointed in me.
Hoskins walks over to his wounded friend. Wounded mostly on his ego, "You all right, man?"
John is confused, looking down at the floor, "They weren't even super soldier." His voice is blank. Charlie, being the forgiving person she is, begins to walk closer to him.
"You'll only make things worse." I cast to her.
"I have to do something. He feels in adequate. He's hurting." I release my grip from her and she walks closer to him and Hoskins.
"Come on." Hoskins whispers, extending his hand down to John. She stops beside him and thanks Hoskins before looking at Walker.
"What do you want, Charlie?" His voice has an edge of hostility. Sam and myself walk slowly closer.
"I'm seeing if you're okay. The Dora, they're..."
"I'm fine."
"Okay. I..."
"It is because I'm not a super soldier, huh?" He stares down at her, and I step in behind her. "Yeah. That answers that."
"I'm not sure what you're insinuating, John." I feel her body vibrate and I rub my hand on her back, hoping to calm her.
"You and me, we could have been a team. But you only align yourself with super soldiers." His eyes glance at the arm I have around her.
"Sam isn't a super soldier."
"You're with him by default."
"And that's why you don't deserve the shield. You think you need to have powers; you need to be the best. Sometimes kindness is what you need. Qualities both Steve and Sam have. You're too rash. Don't go down this path thinking that you need to possess something to be great. Greatness comes from within you." She taps on his chest and he smacks her hand away, I want to lurch forward, "Don't." She casts to me.
"It's easy for you to say. Are we done here?" His eyes are cold and empty when he looks at her. She nods her head. He walks away and Hoskins comes up behind her, mouthing, "I'm sorry," before following Walker out the door.
"What the hell is his problem?" I look over to Sam.
"He has an ego." Charlie whispers.
"I think it's more than that, Charlie, I think he feels that since he has the shield, he should get you, and your powers. Yes, there's an ego, but it's a fragile one." Sam says eyes ending on me. He wants her.
We walk over to the hole Zemo escaped from. Paranoid man, obviously family, to have escape routes in every house they have, "I can't believe he pulled an El Chapo." Sam says.
"I can." I tell him. I pull at Charlie's arm. "Come on." Sam stands, staring at the tunnel. How could we be so foolish to take our eyes off of him?
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Charlie's POV:
We walk through the streets of Latvia, Bucky holding my hand as Sam walks to my left. We're currently at a standstill. I don't know what the next move should be. Bucky squeezes my hand, "Whose girl, are you?" He asks, not in a flirting tone, but a need to hear me say it.
"You know I'm only yours, James." I reassure him. He sighs and kisses the top of my head, "What's this about? John?"
"I guess."
"He's a prick. Remember, I'm with you, right now."
"Until when?"
"Until, forever." I look up at him smiling, he gives me a genuine smile back before kissing my lips, never breaking a stride.
"I hate when you two do that." Sam rolls his eyes at me.
"Kiss?" I ask.
"No, constantly talk to each in your minds. You do it more with him, than you did with...sorry."
Before anyone can say anything more Sam's phone rings. "She said what? Right. Hold on, hold on. I know, I know. Listen, pack an overnight bag and take the boys."
My hand smacks at Sam's waist, he's talking about Sarah. "What happened?" Bucky asks looking over to him.
"Karli called Sarah, she threatened my nephews." Sam is worried, I'm pissed.
"Hand me the phone, Sam." I demand holding my hand to him.
"What?"
"Hand me the phone, now!" Realizing how serious I am he hands the phone to me. "Sarah? Listen, I'm going to give you an address. It's a safe house. When you're there you're going to get one of the burner phones and call me. There's cash there, and an emergency line to someone who will protect you."
"Charlie, no."
"I'm not asking you. I need to know you and the boys are protected. You are family now. I can make sure the kitchen is stocked. There's games and books to keep the boys occupied and a panic room. Don't write the address down. No one is going to hurt you and those babies."
"Thank you." I give Sarah the address and told her to leave within an hour. I hand the phone back up to Sam.
"Hey, yeah, I know. I love you. I'll never let anything happen to you and the boys, you know that...Okay. Bye."
"Even though you didn't have to do that I appreciate it. But why do you have a safe house?" Sam asks, we continue our walk.
"Steve was a bit paranoid. Life becomes different when you have a child to protect." I don't like bringing up my relationship with Steve around Bucky. It makes him uncomfortable, but it's a fact. I can't deny my relationship with him. And things for the most part were good with him. Sam nods and stops walking.
"Karli wants to meet. She left a contact number." Sam pulls up his phone and texts the number.
This is Sam. Sarah told me you want to talk.
The rooftop above North Plaza. Now. Come alone.
"She said come alone." Sam whispers looking between me and Bucky.
"Well, that's not gonna happen." I tell him.
"We're coming with you." Bucky adds in. Sam nods his head and we go back to Zemo's to retrieve our gear.
I pull out both my Nighthawk suit and my old one, looking between the two at which one I want to wear. "Definitely, the new suit." Bucky tells me with a smirk.
"Only because it's tighter." I roll my eyes at him.
"And you fly with it. Maybe, just don't cover your face."
"I cover my face, so I remain anonymous. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't know I'm the Nighthawk. Just you guys and Peter." I go to put on the black suit, easily it slips on. Bucky stares down at me running the silky material over my body.
"I'm sure Fury knows. He knows everything. Take the mask if you want then." I smile but reach down and put the nanotech pod behind my ear. My old glasses it is. He smiles realizing I'm not going to cover my face. "Thanks, doll." I reach up and gently kiss his lips. I hope this is almost over. I just want to be with Bucky right now.
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Charlie's POV:
We got into the plaza, Sam angrily walks towards where Karli is, Bucky and I stay close behind, close together, but for once not actually touching one another, "Karli!" Sam shouts, his deep baritone voice is angry as he growls out her name. You don't threaten family. Sam's patience with her is running thin. We look around the building, all of us try to spot Karli.
Sam's wandering eyes stop as a cocky Karli leans over the banister looking at us. Sam turns and marches up the steps, myself and Bucky follow, "You called my sister? That's how we're gonna play this?" Sam walks closer to Karli while Bucky veers to the right and I stay behind.
"I would never hurt her. I wanted to understand you better." Her body is leaned back casually. "I see you, um, didn't come alone." She towards me and then Bucky.
"You have to end this now." The calmness has returned to Sam's voice. He truly doesn't want to hurt Karli, but she has to quit provoking him.
"I don't wanna hurt you. You're just a tool in the regimes I want to destroy." Bucky's body paces around as he watches her. "You're not hiding behind a shield. If I were to kill you, it'd be meaningless." Sam glances back at Bucky. She really has lost her mind. She's walking into the darkness, and doesn't care who she kills on the way. Sam realizes this. "I was gonna ask you to join me. Or do the world a favor and let me go."
"Sam, are you going to be able to do what needs to be done, if she continues this path."
"Yes." He stands stoically just staring at her.
"Hey, Sam, new Cap is moving, looks like he's found them, or maybe they found him." Sharon's voice comes through the coms. Sam looks back at me and Bucky and I tap my glasses on my head and pop my neck. Let's go. "It's Walker." Sam says to Bucky. Without any hesitation we both jump off the side. Bucky falls fast and then is met with Karli's body shoving him to the side. I allow my suit to fly down and to him. Reaching down my hand for him to take.
Sam fights with Karli and calls back to us, "I'll send you the location. Go!" Sam flies off and Bucky and I run.
"You can fly and you still choose to stay with me?"
"You're good company. Not to mention hot as fuck." I smile over at him. He rolls his eyes and we continue to run, following the coordinates. "You know, Peter thinks that I could be able to fly with someone."
"Uh, yeah, not today, you're not. We'll have to try that out in a controlled environment." Bucky says with a laugh.
"You're not fun, Bucky."
We continue our running, jumping off buildings and running through the streets. We make it to the building that Sam sent us to, running through the doors Bucky stays on the stairs and I jump up some couple of flights, he's faster than me, so I'll take whatever shortcuts I can. I hear him grunt behind me and see one of the Flag Smashers. He wraps his arm around Bucky's neck, trying to choke him and I feel the electrical current run through my body as I stalk down to him. I pull my gauntlets over my head and fire a soundwave at him. His hold on Bucky loosens and Bucky's able to kick him down the stairs.
Bucky jumps down to finish the job, when the Flag Smasher stands up, Bucky kicks him through a brick wall. This is serious, but I forgot just how fucking sexy he is when he fights. "Stay there." He warns the man. He turns back at me, and I know I have to be looking the super soldier up and down.
"You're a freak you know that?" He tells me, I innocently shrug and we go to find where everyone else is at. We find the room where Sam and John are fighting with other members of the Flag Smasher, before we get too far in John blocks a flying knife, sending it towards us. Bucky's right hand reaches up, grabbing by the handle. Um, sir...I need him not to do that in front of me. New kink unlocked.
Bucky smirks over at me quickly before turning to see another Flag Smasher with a knife. They proceed to fight when I'm kicked in the back. My body flies over and I stand, the electrical current running through my veins again. I feel every surge and the heat rising from the pit of my stomach. I walk over to her, kicking her in the chest, again, lightning crackles out where our bodies make contact. It's her turn to have her body slung across the room. I hear Steve's annoying voice telling me to focus my energy and I push it aside, not today Steve. I look down at my fingers, feeling the normal blood flow pulsing through my body.
I turn to see Bucky handle the knife with ease and throw it down on the floor, beside a knocked down Flag Smasher, his eyes meet mine, "Stop." He chuckles. Time and place, Charlie. Time and place.
Bucky runs over to Sam, who is distracted and not noticing a Flag Smasher coming up behind him, and punches the member, "You're welcome." He flatly says. Two members run towards me before I blast them with a sound wave, jumping up I kick out, hitting them simultaneously.
A member grabs ahold of John and holds him in place as Karli runs closer, murder in her eyes. Hoskins meets her speed and knocks her away from attacking John. She punches him, launching him to a stone post. His back hits it with a sickening crack and his head slumps forward. No. "Hoskins. Lamar. Lamar." I hear nothing.
The room is quiet. Everyone looking to Hoskins. The rage and anguish printed across John's face is heartbreaking as he watches the lifeless body of his friend and partner. John grunts and pushes the man holding him off.
John walks over to Hoskins, "Hey. Hey. Hey." I know there will not be a return answer. He's not just passed out. "Lamar. Lamar." His hands tighten on Hoskins cheeks and he shakes him, hoping to get any answer.
"John..." I begin to walk closer to him and Bucky holds tightly to me. "He's..."
"No, you shut up! He's not. Lamar. Lamar." He continues to revitalize his fallen brother to no avail. His pleas for him to wake up become desperate, he never considered doing this without his brother. Karli looks at the pair and realizes the fatal mistake she's made.
John finally acknowledges that Hoskins is dead. removing his hand from Hoskin's cheeks, his lifeless head falls limp. John stares at him, paralyzed. Trying to set course his next set of actions. He's murderous, and wants to exact revenge on the Flag Smashers even more. The Flag Smashers know what they did. They flee, knowing that John is set only on revenge at this point.
I watch as his movements become robotic, "Come on, doll, we've got to go." Bucky grabs ahold of me and we run with Sam out the building. John has lost his conscience. He will do anything now, and that's scary. His fragile ego and mental state, paired with this.
"He somehow got some of the serum." Sam informs us. Grief mixed with the serum, a bad ego, and a disintegrating mental state is a deadly combination.
"What are we going to do?" I ask looking at him.
"We've got to get as far away from him as possible." Sam tells me, sadness in his eyes.
We come out in the courtyard only to be met with John standing above a member, bright crimson paints the bottom of the shield. I look in horror at the gory sight in front of me. The bitter anger hasn't been removed from John's eyes. He's tainted the shield. He murdered with the shield. This image in front of me mirrors the moment when Steve could have killed Tony, he chose not to and stopped. John continued to pummel this man until his last breath. Phones from the ever-growing crowd surround the scene. They are videoing every detail of this. John is ruined. And he's ruined the shield.
I feel tears sting at my eyes as they drip down my face. Bucky pulls me into his chest, "We need to go, doll. Now." He turns pulling me with him. My body is stiff, "I'll carry you if I need to, but we have got to go Charlie. Charlie. Doll, move your feet." My eyes meet him and he looks at me sympathetically. "Come on." He whispers, my feet feel like a ton of bricks as I follow him, Sam walks on the other side, grabbing at my hand and giving it a squeeze. Steve was a lot of things, but he never murdered. He used that shield for defensive purposes, and very rarely a straight weapon.
"Now, more than ever. We've got to get it back, Sam." I whisper up to him.
"I know." He tells me.
"They'll choose someone else if we don't. He never should have been put in that position. He wasn't ready." My mind is racing and I'm rambling.
"Charlie, I know." Because of my empathy I always feel emotions, especially from others deeply. It's a blessing and a curse. Right now, my emotions are running rampant. I have felt all the emotions, in a few hours.
"Hey, I've got you." Bucky whispers to me, gently kissing my forehead.